Play For Me
by Wolf from the Hidden Flames
Summary: Natsuki was searching for a pianist. Shizuru was just searching. AU ShizNat.
1. Lonely Stand Up

**Wolf: **Ahh…my new story…inspired by music…yeah I don't have a lot to say. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Mai HiME…(sniff)…I also don't own Sum-41's song Pieces.

**Play For Me**

Chapter 1  
Lonely Stand-Up

* * *

Lonely was a word to describe many. Lonely was used to describe those that walked the quiet streets of cities or crept down a deserted road by themselves. Lonely was a word to label those that kept their heads down, their gazes turned and their steps slow and solemn. Lonely was a word to name those with heavy hearts and crying souls. Lonely was just the right word to describe Kuga Natsuki. 

Surrounded by several people, she was a single sorrowful soul amidst those whom were chipper and joyful, having a good time of night. Sitting in a wooden chair near the back of the bar, her slender fingers picked at the acoustic guitar. It wasn't the best of places and one she definitely would not have chosen to perform at. Yet the bartender was a friend and she'd called Natsuki over to "quiet down" the rowdier drunks of her bar.

Natsuki's icy green eyes lifted from her trusty guitar to sweep about the bar, searching for her friend. Midori usually didn't call her over unless the hype of the bar was really getting out of hand. Out of hand was an understatement. The stench of alcohol was heavy on her nose, which twitched in irritation, and the sound of loud and raucous off-key singing filled the crowded place. Empty and spilled glasses adorned the bar's round tables and men danced merrily. Their movements were clumsy and would have been comical had Natsuki not been in a bad mood. A bit of smoke lingered in the atmosphere and she coughed slightly, lifting her sleeve to press against her nose. Midori really needed to get a hand of this bar.

"Hehe sorry for the mess Natsuki, but I thought a bit of your playing would do the guys some good."

Speak of the devil!

Turning in her chair, the blue-haired woman caught sight of Midori swinging toward her. The bartender wore a somewhat goofy grin, half of her lips quirked up with dazed eyes. Her strangely tied chestnut hair was messy and several strands pulled from the odd-fashioned ponytail. Exhaustion leaked dark circles under her eyes and her hands clenched and unclenched by her sides. Despite her annoyance at being stuck in a bar with a bunch of wasted men, Natsuki felt a shred of sympathy curling toward her friend. Heaving a sigh, she grumbled back, "Don't worry about it. I was doing nothing at home. Just the usual."

Midori quirked an eyebrow at her and her grin faded. Natsuki was usually less forgiving when it came to free performances at her bar. _Either she really was doing nothing or she pities me. No matter! Free performance hehe. _Grin returning, the brunette fixed her rumpled black jacket and blue shirt before stepping onto the small wooden stage that stood at the center of the back of the bar, just a few feet from Natsuki. She grasped the microphone set and whistled into it, "Hey! All of you hammered buffoons! Pay attention to me!"

The bar was quiet in an instant. Natsuki's eyebrow twitched as she allowed a smirk to lift her lips. It probably wasn't because of the fact that Midori was the boss of the place, most likely it was the fact that she called them "hammered buffoons". Before any of the drunken men could lay a protest to the brunette's claim, Midori spoke up again, "I've got a treat for all of you! My friend, the lovely Kuga Natsuki, has decided she'd come down and play you all a song! Wouldn't you guys like that? A pretty song sung by a pretty lady?"

The blue-haired guitarist tried to hold in her snicker as Midori practically cooed to the ruffians. Her tone was littered with sweet honey yet there was mischief in her eyes. The men weren't complaining at all though. With distaste, Natsuki noted that most of them turned hungry eyes on her. Feeling her belly coil in anger, she turned her attention to pluck a few strings on her guitar. Midori once again continued.

"So let's all be a wonderful audience and welcome the lovely Natsuki! All of you idiots be quiet and listen!" she shouted a final time as she hopped off the stage and waved for Natsuki to step up. Fighting back her groan, the youth left her chair for the stool set on the stage. Seating herself, the woman cast a wry glance at the audience. The men's eyes were trained on her, heavy and dark and lustful. She ducked her head to her guitar. These men didn't mean a thing to her. Besides Midori, the only thing that mattered to her at the moment was the instrument dutifully resting against her chest.

Slim fingers rose and splayed in the air in a slow movement before descending to the strings of her acoustic. At once, a deep tune began to play. It was uneasy at first, just a warm-up for the guitarist to figure out where she stood on the notes. Then it gradually transformed into a rhythmic melody. Deliberately low and comfortable, Natsuki allowed her eyelids to blanket her icy eyes. The lousy air of the bar melted away from her and all there was left was her music and her soul. She only felt the heavy strum of her fingers and the even beat of the strings, the ramming of her heart.

The audience had gone deathly silent, their lust fading with the doleful tune. Midori stood behind the counter, a rag in her fingers as she had begun to clean when Natsuki started to play. Her actions slowed and then ceased as the song continued. Her lime-colored eyes began to glow in awe, fingers jerking slightly at the morose tune. It was beautiful and tragic and Natsuki's lonely expression made it all the more heartbreaking. This was a side the blue-haired woman showed only when she played her acoustic, lonely. Biting her lip so a tear couldn't swell past her eye, Midori tried not to let her hopelessly emotional side slip past and bawl like a baby.

And then Natsuki began to sing.

Her subdued and deep voice whispered into the bar's hushed surroundings. It wasn't the prettiest of female voices, not sweet and high nor fluid and soaring. Her voice was rasped and low, sometimes almost masculine. It was strong, but not imposing. Holding a low thrumming, it reverberated through the air and echoed against the walls. It was the voice she used solely for her acoustic, the voice of her solitary soul that was hidden by all of her rough exteriors, barred deep in her heart.

_I tried to be perfect  
But nothing was worth it  
I don't believe it makes me real  
I thought it'd be easy  
But no one believes me  
I meant all the things I said_

_If you believe it's in my soul  
I'd say all the words that I know  
Just to see if it would show  
That I'm trying to let you know  
That I'm better off on my own_

Midori held her breath in as the crowd leaned in, all eyes set on Natsuki's figure. Back curved inward and cobalt strands spilling downward, caressing her alabaster face and slender shoulders and arms; the young guitarist was lost in a world of her own. The long-sleeved white cotton shirt glowed with the dim light from the lamp above the stage; her jeans creaked as she shuffled her feet. A knee was drawn in upon her chair and her expression was one of absolute solemn peace. Nothing could penetrate her fragilely constructed glass wall built by music around her form. Midori felt as if she was gazing at something far off; Natsuki was almost illusive.

_This place is so empty  
My thoughts are so tempting  
I don't know how it got so bad  
Sometimes it's so crazy  
That nothing can save me  
But it's the only thing that I have  
_

_If you believe it's in my soul  
I'd say all the words that I know  
Just to see if it would show  
That I'm trying to let you know  
That I'm better off on my own_

Her singing amplified, compelling and brimming with unbridled sorrow. It flowed through the crowd and struck cords, a few of them losing the strength in their standing legs and seeping into their chairs. Midori's hands trembled at the strength in Natsuki's voice, her face composed of amity. A side so opposite of her brash nature, Midori was left near breathless and could only gaze at her friend as she strummed onward. Her eyelids twitched and her brow etched an unexplained misery on her young face. Icy emerald eyes fluttered open as the crescendo came.

_I tried to be perfect  
It just wasn't worth it  
Nothing could ever be so wrong  
It's hard to believe me  
It never gets easy  
I guess I knew that all along_

_If you believe it's in my soul  
I'd say all the words I know  
Just to see if it would show  
That I'm trying to let you know  
That I'm better off on my own_

When the end came only silence met it. Natsuki's emerald eyes gazed thoughtfully at the crowd, arm still resting against her acoustic. Her icy eyes still glimmered with the somberness of her melody, her lips trembled a little. Easily, her eyes could have been mistaken for teary yet strength willfully flowed from her aura. With quivering fingers, she waited.

Midori exhaled. A brilliant smile slowly lit her face as she raised her hands and clapped. The men followed, still swept away by the blue-haired woman's performance. Their faces held the same awed expression and a few let out whistles, some calling for an encore. Natsuki's shimmering eyes cleared and she lightly smirked. Picking herself off the stage, she allowed Midori to come back up. The brunette flashed her a grin before speaking into the mike, "Let's all give a big hand to our beautiful musician everyone!"

Whoops and cheers resonated in the bar and Natsuki allowed herself to be pulled into the crowd, several bulky hands clapping her on the backs and appreciative yells surrounding her. She merely smirked at the crowd, icy eyes catching Midori's grin and thumbs up signal. Mumbling her gratitude, she wriggled free of the crowd as they tried to lure her into an encore. The youth only shook her head and grinned.

Giving Midori a single wave as a goodbye, the woman escaped through the back of the bar and sighed in relief, leaning against the door as the bar still resounded with the men's cries. Inklings of pride shivered in Natsuki's heart and she softly patted her guitar before making her way to the back parking lot. A black and navy Ducati waited dutifully for her there, resting in the shadows of the lot where drunks couldn't get their grubby paws on it. Natsuki lifted the black case that was propped by her bike and clicked it open. With rarely seen gentleness, she lowered her guitar into it and strapped the weight across her back. She was about to climb on her bike when a vibrating in her jeans' pocket stopped her.

Quickly pulling out the cell phone shaking in her pocket, she flipped it open and stared hard at the caller ID. The small bright screen flashed as her ringtone beeped. Tokiha Mai. Eyebrow arched, she pressed the cell against her ear and spoke, "Hello? Mai why are you calling this late at night?"

"Natsuki! I caught you! I thought you'd be sleeping…Guess what?!"

"What?" Natsuki grumbled into the phone, hard exterior quickly rising from the short release of her performance. Her slim fingers pulled back the sleeve of her shirt to bare her wrist, her watch glowing neon green numbers. 12: 45.

"Geez you sound so chipper…maybe I did wake you up from your beauty sleep but I doubt it since Heaven knows you sleep like a rock!" Mai quipped into the phone.

A miffed expression was starting to appear on Natsuki's face as her eyes darkened. Losing patience rapidly, she all but spat into the phone, "Mai get to the damn point!"

"Alright alright! No need to bite my head off. I only called you to tell you that I found another guy you can interview. He's really good and has a few good years of live experience. Natsuki, give this guy a chance. Don't chase him off like you did all the other eight," Mai chastised softly.

A growl was her only answer. Natsuki's eye twitched and her right hand tapped lightly on the handle of her bike's bars. Mai had called her for this? She really wasn't in the mood to talk about interviews and her eyes were starting to droop, but she had to answer the redhead, "Alright well…um…bring him over tomorrow afternoon. I'll be the judge of how good he is."

Despite Natsuki's none too cheery attitude, Mai's voice was enthusiastic as she replied, "Sure! I'll see you tomorrow then!"

"Yeah yeah," Natsuki mumbled as her friend hung up. Stuffing her cell back in her pocket, the musician climbed atop her bike and turned the engine on. Her icy eyes were clouded with thought as she drove onto the street. Mai had said this guy was good. Had she finally found a possible candidate to start what she really wanted to do with her life? Grip tightening around her bike's handle, she sped faster into the night. After interviewing eight different people, she wasn't so sure. _I need to find someone good. Someone who knows how to play…I need to find someone whose heart and soul is into the piano…not just a __**good **__pianist…the __**right **__pianist._

_Or else I'm better off alone. _

* * *

**Wolf: **Ehehe. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Uhh…don't have much to say. Oh! Reviews are welcome! (shy grin) 


	2. The Right One

**Wolf: **Well here's the second chapter. Sorry for the wait, writer's block. :3 Hope you enjoy it! Shizuru appears in the third chapter if anyone's anxious to know when she drops in.

Oh yeah…I forgot to say this in the first chapter, I apologize for any OOCness in advance. D:

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Mai HiME. Never had, never will.

**Play For Me**

Chapter 2  
The Right One

* * *

It was morning and the city was already alive with activity, dozens of citizens crawling about its streets. The sound of mobiles and voices rose off the streets to the sky, where the sun was already rising high. Light gleamed along the apartment buildings and traveled up, peeking into each window to rouse those late sleepers. Natsuki was one of those late sleepers, nestled tightly into her covers. 

Her soft snoring resounded in her bedroom, the only sight of her being her cobalt hair poking from underneath the white comforter. The sun tried to tempt her from the covers with its demure rays flickering into her room and crawling up her sheets. Its fervent attempts earned a groan from the musician as she turned in the bed, facing away. As if in frustration, the sun's beams suddenly flicked out, gray clouds having blocked the bright orb.

Sighing in pleasure, Natsuki snuggled once more in her bed and continued to sleep. A smile curved her lips as a bit of drool leaked from the corners of her mouth. Now without being disturbed by any playful sunny rays, she could revel in her dream. Her dream happened to include her motorbike, mayo, food, and of course music. A hand slipped from the white comforter and grasped at thin air, her drowsy voice echoing, "M-Mayo…mmm…"

What the sun had failed to do though, her phone accomplished.

A harsh ringing burst from her bedside drawer as if angrily rebuking her for sleeping in so late. Natsuki groaned loud and turned away from it. The phone continued its small tirade and the blue-haired youth feebly opened her eyes. Heavy emerald green eyes stared at her room, watching the slow swishing of her pale silver-blue curtains. They lifted from the curtains and traversed across the ceiling as Natsuki shifted in bed. Finally they settled on the shrill phone. In a dragging moment, Natsuki's face distorted from peacefully dopey to sharply perturb. Her hand shot from the covers and clamped on her cell. Usually she'd have stuffed it somewhere in her drawers, but she'd been too exhausted to do so last night.

Snarling and pushing her soft comforter off her, Natsuki flipped open the cell and glared at the caller ID. Only a few people were brave enough to phone her at this time of the morning. Her voice was sharp and unfriendly as she spat into the phone, "What do you want Nao?!"

"Geez Kuga you really do wake up on the wrong side of the bed. C'mon! Rise and shine sleeping beauty!"

"_You're _my wrong side of the bed! What did you call for?" Natsuki growled, irritated at the cheery voice which hid a taunting tone.

"Can't I call a friend just for the sake of it? The day is young, the sun is shining, the-"

"Get to the point," Natsuki once again interrupted as she stepped out of bed. Cobalt strands cascaded down her back in a single swoop, a few tresses sticking out rather messily. Her long alabaster legs padded across the room as she searched for where she'd stashed her guitar. It really had been late when she'd finally gotten home and she didn't want to find out that her precious instrument had just been discarded somewhere. Relieving, it was leaning against her wardrobe nicely. Opening up her wardrobe, the youth searched for something to wear other than her current white shorts and tank-top as Nao babbled something on the other end.

"Well we all know you wouldn't wake up until noon or some other ungodly hour later and you do have this interview with that one guy Mai found who knows where and making a good first impression is always a good way to ensure partnership and being late to wake up is not good hospitality and-"

Natsuki zoned out after the first few lines as she could see the beginning of a rant coming from the redhead. Nao had the habit of bouncing from one subject to another though she was always brutally clear on her point of view. Now if only the teenager wouldn't get so off topic.

Gazing almost stupidly at nothing with a gaping mouth and a drowsy look reentering her eyes once more, Natsuki yawned and pulled out her choice of wear for the day. Her rambling friend was right about one thing, she did need to look nice to make a good impression. Though she honestly thought it should be the pianist who should be worried about making impressions. Slipping on a new pair of jeans she'd bought some days ago and a pale green collar shirt complete with a blue vest, the biker turned to look at her reflection in her full body mirror. _Simplistic but not so much to be casual. Nice._

Satisfied, she smirked and began to tidy up her messy sheets. Normally she'd just leave her bed like this and her room usually appeared as if a hurricane had blown through it. Yet she was trying to find a partner. Realizing that Nao was **still **jabbering on the other end, Natsuki decided to interrupt, "Nao…Nao?"

"-and y'know how damned unhealthy your mayo addiction is and all the instant ramen you cook, but then again you do exercise and-eh?"

"Don't insult my mayonnaise!" Natsuki leaped to her favorite food's defense, picking up some discarded clothing and folding them. In the background of the phone line she heard an adult woman calling.

"But your mayo crap is just…unhealthy! Eh? Oh uhh…coming Mama! Hold up a sec will ya? Anyway Natsuki, ok my point is that Mai should be coming in about…now actually. She called me to call you and yada yada…yes Ma I'm coming!" Nao's voice rang before she hung up.

_Hehe…I may have a mayo addiction but I'm not the one who still lives with my mother. Wait…what did she say?! Mai's coming NOW?! OH SHIT!_

Deciding she would forego breakfast, the blue-haired female set about speed cleaning. She was all but a blur racing around the room putting away old clothes and picking up pieces of trash. About an hour or so later, Natsuki froze in her cleaning at the ringing of the doorbell. Chin raised and eyes flicking to the door, she dumped the black shirt she held onto her bed and briskly paced out of her room toward the door of her apartment.

Smoothing back dark hair, Natsuki sucked in her breath and opened the door. _This is it. Fingers crossed Natsuki, this just might be the guy…I hope._

A pair of bright, friendly violet eyes stared at Natsuki with an equally bright and friendly smile. Locks of short fiery hair framed a heart-shaped face on a young woman's head. Dressed in a cheerful yellow blouse and pair of denim jeans, Mai looked far too happy to be overseeing one of Natsuki's interviews. It made the musician's eyebrow arch in question.

And then she saw why.

Her busty friend stepped inside and allowed her companion to enter. Pallid gray pools, tinted by mauve, gazed at Natsuki strongly. A charming smile curved the man's thin lips and a sharp chin dipped politely to her, strong shoulders squeezed through the doorframe. He was tall with a firm chest and straight legs, posture unbearably straight but not tensely. His gray-mauve eyes were strong yet they seemed to dance upon taking in the blue-haired youth. His crop of obsidian hair was smoothened down and straight. Dressed in a black suit complete with tie, the man looked more like he'd be fit to be a businessman, not a pianist.

Natsuki allowed them to enter her living room, icy eyes narrowed at the black-haired man in suspicion. She shot Mai a disbelieving look and her redhead returned it with pleading large violet eyes. 'Give him a chance' those eyes stated. Sighing, she gave the smallest of nods before going into her kitchen for some refreshments. Coming back with glasses of water, Natsuki set them on her coffee table in the middle of the living room and sat down on the couch, speaking, "So Mai, who's your friend?"

"His name's Reito! Kanzaki Reito. He's been playing the piano ever since he was seven and took up classes then. He was in the school band in his middle and high school and he's played at some of the best restaurants in the city. He's gone to one of the best piano schools, Fuuka Gakuen. Granted, he's only been on his own for a few years but in that little time he's earned himself quite a name!" Mai chatted excitedly as she took her glass and sipped it. Reito shot her an amused glance and smiled.

Natsuki cautiously drank from her own glass and peered at Reito from above the rim. Dropping the glass with a sigh, she placed it down and rose. Her feet carried her over to an old, somewhat dusted piano and she flicked some of the particles off with her fingers. A dark smirk curled her lips as a daring icy glare aimed Reito's way, "Mai says you're good but I'm not taking any chances until I see you play. So will you, Kanzaki-san?"

Her tone held suspicion and challenge just underneath the surface, almost mocking. Reito took it all in stride, calmly nodding and walking over to seat himself on the piano. His smile was still charmingly unfazed as he grinned up at her, "I would love to play for Kuga-san."

Slim fingers hovered over the piano's black and white keys and his gray-mauve eyes closed, grin still on his face. The instant his fingers pressed the first few keys, Natsuki felt her heart shoot up to her throat. A slow ballad sweetly rose from the keys. It dipped before steeply peaking up, hitting high and low notes in a gradual wave of harmony. His hands never sped up yet never slowed down, a perfect crescendo. Poised and calm, the pianist created a steady beat from the keys.

Like the staccato beating of her heart, the deliberate melody snuck its way inside Natsuki's soul and warmed all the recesses of her core, teased her into a smooth swaying along its notes. Her icy eyes fluttered closed and her head tilted to one side, hearing completely tuned to Reito's playing. Mai grinned widely at her friend's reaction, her violet eyes even brighter if possible. She glanced at Reito and beamed at his self-assured motif.

_Mai was right. He __**is **__good. Very good. Maybe…just maybe…_

Emerald eyes opened and stared at Reito joyfully, her earlier hostility and daringness gone. The man's fingers flicked over each key delicately and his face was the epitome of calm and confidence. Natsuki was about to tell him to stop and ask if he'd be interested in becoming her partner when she noticed something. Reito played well, very well. Though something was off. The slightest quirk of his eyebrow was dipped inward; a frown just barely creased his brow. His smile was a bit crooked along the edges and there was a twitch in one of his fingers. He hit a sour note.

It was just one of the most miniscule details and the note was covered so quickly she almost thought she imagined it, but it was enough to convince her. Like an anvil of lead, all her hopes crashed down from her heart to the bottom of her feet. Her head lowered and her blue tresses veiled her face. Mai gazed at her inquiringly and Reito paused in his playing to look over his shoulder.

"No."

Mai's eyes widened and her mouth aimed to protest. Reito rose from the piano seat and placed his hand on her shoulder, ceasing her. Still her violet eyes questioned her dark-haired friend. Natsuki's fists were clenched, her teeth were gritted and her form gently shook. Her head tossed from side to side, cobalt hair wildly swishing, "No. No he's not the right one. He's good Mai, no doubt about that. He's not the right one though."

"Why?!" Mai blurted out before Reito could stop her again. Her eyes were aggravated and her shoulders jerked with the small angry jab of her chin toward her friend. Violet eyes swirled with the need to understand Natsuki's hesitance and exasperation graced the redhead's features as she gasped, "Natsuki he's the best pianist we've looked over so far and has the best credentials! He played well and you're going to turn him down?! Can't you ever settle for what's good enough than what's the best?! After nine people there's almost no chance that you'll ever settle on anyone!"

"Because he plays with no passion!" Natsuki spat, snapping her head up to glower at her friend. Her teeth pressed down hard on her bottom lip and her shoulders quivered. Her frame rocked from side to side and fury crept in her icy eyes; her gaze was smoldering. Her voice was unbidden with bitter frustration when she spoke again, "He plays because he feels an obligation to! Not because he wants to! I've seen it before. He doesn't feel the drive, the desire, the _passion_ to play. He doesn't feel the _need _to play."

There was a thickness in Natsuki's voice; her composure threatened to shatter with the dismay at Reito not being who she was looking for. Her emerald eyes grew glassy and her lips trembled. Her fists opened and closed. A crushed, hopelessness ripped her face apart and her jaw was unduly taut. Not wanting Mai to see her unraveling, the blue-haired youth grabbed Reito and Mai and shoved them back to the air, "Go! He's not who I want so he's not needed here anymore!"

"Natsuki! Stop shoving! And please reconsider!" Mai gasped desperately as her friend pushed them to the door. The redhead stumbled against the frame and Reito smacked uncomfortably into her. Dizzy, she wriggled out from behind him to look back at the biker.

"Go," Natsuki growled through gritted teeth, fists shaking as she refused to look Mai straight in the eyes. The redhead pleaded with her to look at her, but the biker just gave them another shove through her open door. The busty girl's violet eyes dimmed at the rejection and she sulkily stepped out of the apartment.

Reito made to go after her but his gray-mauve eyes flicked over to Natsuki. She was still facing away, icy eyes directed on the ground and her jaw still tight. Stepping back to her, his breath grazed her ears as he whispered, "I may not be the person you're looking for, but if you want someone with passion I just might know someone…try visiting this person…I guarantee you won't find a more passionate pianist."

Then he was gone in such swiftness that Natsuki was left dazed by his momentary closeness and suddenness through the door. Her emerald eyes meekly lifted from the floor and stared at the door. It was only until after she'd closed it did she notice the slip of paper in her hands. Curiously, she pulled it apart. It was an address.

**Kiyohime Avenue, Apartment 1219, Room 122.**

At the bottom of the paper were two scratched out initials. Peering closer, she could make out the letters "F.S".

_F.S? Who the hell is F.S? _

Shaking her head with a still morose expression, Natsuki walked back into her living room and slumped on the couch. Her skull tilted back and pressed into the couch, icy eyes gazing at the ceiling dulling. The clock ticked by on a nearby dresser, ticking and ticking. Weariness pulled her muscles and fogged her mind. Her arms stretched out atop the couch and slender hands fingered the rough pale blue fabric. The ticking of the clock droned on and slowly wafted into her ears, the small noise melding away to be replaced by the dancing music of piano keys. Icy emerald eyes closed.

- - -

"_Mama?"_

_The soft sound of footfalls hummed on the carpet floor as tiny feet adorned with fluffy pink slippers padded into the living room. Large green eyes glanced around curiously, one small hand rubbing at them to chase the sleepiness away from them. It was dusk and she'd been napping when something had disturbed her from her dreams. Her ears trained for the sound; it was coming from nearby._

_The sound of music, low piano keys, was coming from just beyond the couch. Head tilted cutely, the drowsy child waddled to it and peeked around it. Her gaze caught the sight of a firm back crouched over the old cherry oak piano, white fingers shimmying over black and white ivory keys. Cobalt hair, darker than her own blue tresses, waved down the woman's back as soft, even breathing came from the woman. _

_A melodious combination of low notes flew from the keys and up into the warm atmosphere, pulling the already sleepy child into a swaying sense of euphoric coziness. Eyes threatening to close and body rocking back and forth, Natsuki's tiny hand rose and outstretched to her mother. Saeko didn't turn to her, all focus on the piano and her music._

_Awed and mesmerized, completely dazed, Natsuki almost tripped over one of her small dog plushies and gasped. Hands suddenly whisked from the keys and caught her; she was enveloped in gentle warmth and laughter. Snuggling into a soft chest and squeaking at the tickling feel of silky blue tresses, Natsuki shyly met her mother's laughing green eyes. _

_Saeko left the piano seat and lifted her baby, rubbing her cheek against Natsuki while chuckling, "Ah Natsuki. Be a bit more careful honey. I'm sorry, did I wake you little one?"_

"_Mama!" Natsuki joyfully quipped as she wrapped her small arms around her mother's neck. Saeko grinned and her eyes shone brighter behind her glasses, cuddling her daughter. Moving to the couch, she sat down with a comfortable sigh and placed Natsuki on her lap. The tiny child nuzzled deeper into her mother's warmth, a large smile beautifully curving her lips. Saeko's fingers gently weaved through her daughter's short hair, content relaxing her features. _

_A timid, gentle whisper._

"_Mama?"_

_A soft, lazy reply._

"_Yes?"_

_Shy words, sweet shy words._

"_Will you teach me to play the piano someday?"_

_A pause…and then a happy, almost breaking response._

"_Of course Natsuki. Of course."_

- - -

"Mother…"

Natsuki's sleep-laden, deep voice resounded in the empty room.

Her emerald eyes, moist and despairing, opened to stare at the ceiling. How long had it been since that memory? Years, she almost couldn't remember how many. With a faint groan, she hauled herself off the couch and shuffled to the piano. Her hand reached out and gave the old cherry oak wood a long swipe. Timidly, she sat upon the dark seat and her hands hovered over the keys. Her heart beat like an ardent drum, spilling tremors in her chest as her fingers grazed the keys. Almost as if she were frightened to destroy the majestic instrument, she played gently.

The notes, just like she remembered in that old memory, were low and heavy, though softly entertaining. Her hands weren't too fast nor too slow, evenly matched. Cobalt hair quietly stroked her cheeks as she played; her breathing deepened with the music. As the piece continued, Natsuki's fingers tenderly began to add in higher notes, a radiant smile gracing her somber face. Her lips quivered; she didn't know how long she could stand the desire. Then, before the song could end, she burst from restriction.

Her voice echoed through the air, melancholy and husky. Words poured from her lips like trickling water over smooth boulders, sweet and sad and low. It was almost perfect. Almost.

_I wanted  
I wanted you to stay  
'Cause I needed  
I need to hear you say  
That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I forgive you  
For being away for far too long  
So keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
'Cause I'm not leaving you anymore  
Believe it  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go  
Keep breathing  
Hold on to me and, never let me go_

As the song ended and the memory of her mother playing the same melody faded, Natsuki's voice died away. Her hands, still on the keys, trembled and her eyes were softly shut. Her breathing was stilled; time froze a single moment for her. The feeling that she gained every time she played the piano, the feeling that blanketed over her each time her mother's face sprang in her mind, was always the same.

Emptiness.

There was no passion, there was no enjoyment in playing the piano for her. She didn't play because she ached to feel the piano's glorious music embrace her. No, she played to remember her mother's face and keep that shredding memory alive. And each time it only brought more pain, more misery, and more bitter loneliness. With this anguished feeling, she could feel the ambition and anger rising. She didn't want to touch the piano, but she didn't want to lose her mother's memory, didn't want to lose the magic that the piano opened to her.

Her fingers fisted and her throat clogged. Her emerald eyes hardened. She glanced at the address, slipped from her hand and placed atop the instrument. Natsuki set her jaw worriedly. Her fingers snatched the paper off the piano and she leaped off the seat, legs gliding her to the door as she grabbed her biker suit from the rack. She fumbled in donning it and her fingers shook as they fished for her keys. Natsuki stopped for a moment and looked once more at the paper.

**Kiyohime Avenue, Apartment 1219, Room 122.**

_F.S._

Grimacing, she flew out the door. Reito had better be right about this person.

* * *

**Wolf: **AT LAST!! Gosh I'm so agitated with myself at taking so long with finishing this chapter. It kinda bored me…but it did its job with moving the plot. Don't worry ShizNat fans, the awaited meeting comes in the next chapter! 

Oh…and I don't own the song Far Away by Nickelback, which Natsuki and Saeko played…ehehe as for the address…I was incredibly uncreative and lazy with that. XP

Hopefully the next chapter won't take me as long to put down. Gah! My slow hands won't type what my eager mind comes up with a mile a minute!

Anyways, hope you enjoyed. :3 Reviews are welcomed…though whether or not I answer them solely depends on my shyness and laziness...Ah! Just remembered. MaixReito? MaixMikoto? Or MaixTate? Or all three?! XD...(ducks behind her desk for safety) Joking! But um...seriously, which pairing would you guys like to see? Because I like all of them but I don't know which to use...


	3. Brittle Risks

**Wolf: **Alright here's the third chapter at last. XP I got irritated at this one because I had writer's block AGAIN! Hence, the wait of which I apologize for. So please enjoy the chapter! The long-awaited ShizNat meeting. Oh and because I forget to do it, thanks for all the great reviews guys!

**Disclaimer: **Don't own Mai HiME. D: If I had enough to own MH I would have a lot more money than I do now.

**Play For Me**

Chapter 3  
Brittle Risks

* * *

It began when she was in the middle of the supermarket, hand outstretched for a carton of milk. Her fingers twitched slightly as she grasped it and placed it in her kart. Something churned in the pit of her belly. Her lips, thin and pursed, curled downward into a frown. 

Pushing the kart toward another aisle, she searched for more of her groceries on the list and tried, in vain, to ignore the rising torrent of urging crawling up her skin. A hiss bubbled up her throat and barely slipped past her lips as her hands tightened on the bars of her kart. Eyes the color of dim scarlet darkened with agitation and pupils contracted. A pallid brow dipped together. Soft tresses the shade of fair oak crested downward along a sharp jaw and amiably flourished around her shoulders. She bit her lip gently, resisting.

With each step she took, the urging prickled her skin and a low voice taunted in her ears. A crack appeared in her mask and she pushed her kart just a bit faster. She strode out of the aisle and headed for the fruit section. Her dark eyes swiveled from side to side, gazing at other marketers with an almost disgruntled expression. One man turned to her and, attracted by her appearance, made to go speak with her. A whip of her cranium was all she needed, hair brushing outward, and it was made quite apparent that she didn't want to speak with him.

Her steps were brisk and full of purpose, fingers gripping her kart firmly to the point where her knuckles turned white. Her teeth slightly chattered behind her lips and slim muscles along her arm grew tense. Perspiration began to dot her fair brow and she let brief release in the form of a sigh, trying to calm herself. She wasn't going to lose composure in a public place. She only needed a few more items on her list and the walk home wasn't too long.

Placing a hand on her earthen-toned jacket, she noted with a grimace that her fingers shook. Her knees also buckled a tad, craving making her insides burn and the blood pound horribly in her ears. Her heart beat a wild dance in her ribcage, slamming into her chest and resonating throughout her body. If she didn't get out of this place soon, the urge would consume her.

With ragged breaths, the fair-hared woman placed the final items into her small kart and turned it to the register. Waiting in line, she ignored the several glances thrown her way, allured by her dark eyes that brimmed like a scarlet storm. Her feet shuffled in line, a sharp sting shooting up along her legs as her muscles tightened even more.

Her teeth ground together softly, almost unheard as the clerk took her groceries. It was only a mere few seconds, but the nausea coiling in her stomach made it feel like an eternity. She snatched her bags as quickly as she could and stiffly padded out of the supermarket.

She was a single soul in the mass of people moving about the city, a single being with purpose in a chronic sea of moving bodies. Her hands, shaking with slight sweat, grasped the bags in her arms as if they were her only form of stability. Her apartment never did seem so far away as it did now.

- - -

The wind cut her sharply as she drove through the city, hands resting gently though firmly on her bike's bars. Strands the color of deep azure flapped behind her untamed as she weaved through the streets, cutting between cars and speeding past lights. A satisfied smile just barely tugged at her lips as she felt the freedom and rush that she could only gain atop her motorcycle. There was nothing compared to feeling the roar of her metal beast beneath her nor the exhilarating rush that reeled through her body and sent a wave of pleasure from her stomach up to her head. She breathed deeply, easily.

The sites flew past in her vision and her gaze cast searing glances at the blurred buildings. Her smirk widened beneath her helmet as she revved up the engine a tad more. It wasn't too far to get to her destination, only about ten more minutes. In no time, she pulled out of the busy streets surrounded by looming buildings and headed into a suburban part of the city, lined with houses. The friend she was visiting actually lived in a small two-story house compared to Natsuki's slightly cramped apartment building. Ceasing her bike and feeling its gentle hum die, Natsuki pulled out her keys from it and swung off the motorcycle. Stuffing her keys into a pocket, she pulled off her helmet and walked toward the door. Her hand rapped softly on the dark blue wood of the white house. Her luminous gaze dully glanced up at the sky as she waited to be answered.

And waited.

And waited.

And did some more waiting.

Feeling her irritation quickly rising, the biker gritted her teeth and pressed her ear against the wood. Faintly, she could hear an odd loud blasting noise. Many odd blasting noises actually. Rolling her emerald irises, the girl ducked to the mat and fished out a single key from underneath and pushed it in. A single twist of her pale wrist and she easily passed through the door.

The very moment that she stepped into the house, Natsuki almost wished she hadn't. The jarring sound of amplified rock music seared along the house's walls and rammed at her like a violating tempest. Her feet stumbled slightly on the house's tiled floor as wave after wave of electrifying music sent tremors beneath her. Sucking in a gasp, Natsuki padded to where the source of the music was. Her feet stamped up the stairs and she twisted her head in the small hallway. She poked into two bedrooms and one guest room, though all three were empty. Scurrying down the stairs, she glanced into the living room though the only noise in there was the sonic waves echoing into it. It was stupid to check the bathroom and kitchen she realized as her eyebrow twitched in annoyance. That left only the garage to check.

With a flurry, her impatient feet carried her across to the farthest right end of the house and she opened a door in the corner connected to another small hallway, leading to the garage. She knew she was there when the bellowing of rock music grew ten folds.

Frazzled viridian pools stared at the wires intricately splayed around the room and all crawling toward the middle of it. Several amps were placed near each other and a large radio was set not too far off. Sonic booms radiated off the amps and hit Natsuki. She could've sworn she'd gone deaf for a few sparse moments. Her green eyes took in everything before trailing to the middle again.

There was her friend.

Cropped red hair framed a youthful face, barely gracing the girl's chin. A slim body sat upon a stool, clad in a lime-green t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She didn't look too strange though Natsuki knew far better. The tan beret and pair of yellow lenses were proof of that. Natsuki felt her lips quirk in amusement.

Yuuki Nao was in the center of a gray-walled garage, surrounded by dozens of wires with booming rock music at what could easily be deaf capacity. And yet she was smiling, eyes closed in content. Her lithe hands were clutching a pair of drum sticks as she skillfully beat the drum set in front of her. Completely unaware of her blue-haired companion's presence, the redhead bobbed her head to the blasting music. Beat after beat of her sticks caused an added torrential wave to the rock and sent excited tingles up her arms to her spine, making her grin.

Natsuki continued to watch all of this in the next few moments, smirk wide and toothy. Then when she was once again getting impatient, she walked over to the outlet in the corner and pulled the plug. Instantly, the music stopped. The biker leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, cockily glancing at the drummer and waiting the expected outburst.

"EEEEYYYYY!!"

A long drawn out protest issued from the redhead's lips as she snapped her neck around to see what had caused the sudden die down of her music. Eyes the color of her lime-green shirt, the youth caught Natsuki leaning against the wall and glared. A pout softly graced her small lips as she glared at her friend and whined, "Kuga! Why'd you go and do that?! I was in the middle of my funk! How could you just do that and completely ruin my groove?! And I was in such a good mood too! And my drumming was awesome today! Aw c'mon Kuga you ruined everything!"

She couldn't help it anymore.

Laughter burst from the biker at her friend's sullen expression and her whines about how she'd ruined her playtime. Natsuki's arms clutched at her stomach as she lightly bent over and chortled at the girl. Nao's lips pulled thinly together and she stuck her tongue out at the musician. Tipping her beret downward a bit, the redhead set her sticks down and stood up, "So why you here Kuga? Besides to ruin my fun."

Natsuki's laughter was replaced by a mirthful grin. Emerald met lime, one still tinged with humor and the other with inquiry. Then the flippant gleam was erased from Natsuki's sharp eyes and seriousness entered the viridian depths. Leaning once again on the wall, she tried to go about relaying the news she had earlier today. Juggling a few words in her head, she finally decided going about it the blunt way and said, "I interviewed the guy Mai wanted me to see. He was…good."

"Ahuh. Good meaning he played well yet he wasn't to your ridiculously high standards," Nao quipped as she bent over to check her amps, making sure she hadn't blown them.

"Shut up Nao," Natsuki growled half-heartedly though she knew that Nao had somewhat of a point. Her standards weren't high…just more than the average person, she told herself. She continued once again, "Anyway…yeah he was good…and yeah I rejected him. However…he did mention another pianist whom as he so stated that I 'won't find a more passionate pianist'. And I was wondering that maybe…"

"Maybe?! Maybe you found the one?!" Nao screeched in disbelief as she frantically turned to Natsuki. She gave the awkward musician no time to speak as she began to cheer, "Hallelujah! Kuga's finally decided to take one on! No more searching! No more interviewing! No more looking at boring tight-roped guys while listening on and on about their credentials and crap! No more listening to Kuga's whining drabs about how she's been searching so long and hard for a damn pianist! No more! I'M FREE I'M FREE I'M FR-"

"NAO YOU IDIOT SHUT UP! I DIDN'T SAY I'D FOUND THE ONE!" Natsuki snapped, cutting the girl's tirade.

The redhead had been dancing about in giddiness, cheering at her 'freedom', but froze altogether at her friend's outburst. Lime irises turned to cool emerald and stared. Stared for minutes until a pout puckered the redhead's lips as fake tears rimmed at her impossibly large eyes. She sniffed and her posture drooped downwards, shoulders slumping and her voice coming out in a bummed drawl, "Aww Kuga why'd you have to go and burst my bubble like that? Man you do always ruin my fun!"

"Stop pouting and listen to me," Natsuki continued with a frown, "Look what I was going to say –before you so gleefully interrupted- was that maybe I was going to take up this guy's suggestion and interview this person. Though I'm not so sure and…" she trailed off, tongue failing to form any words that could describe the puddle of insecurity that numbed her senses.

Nao's lime eyes blinked at Natsuki, her own frown knitting her brow. She crossed her arms and huffed as she sat back on her stool. The drummer tapped her cheek with one slim finger as if she was thinking, though in reality all she was doing was stalling to further vex her friend. Finally, careful syllables poured from her tongue as she spoke to Natsuki in a bewildered and lightly affronted pitch, "Kuga it sounds to me like you're just being a scaredy-cat again. Or…scaredy-dog more likely suits you. My point is that for once in your damned uptight life just let things flow their course! Fly on the wind! Flow on the current! Just let things gooooo…" she said, making a strange motion with her palms that resembled something like a river.

The dark-haired biker's eyebrow twitched, recognizing the teasing underneath Nao's amiable response. Her own reply was a mere grumble along the lines that she wasn't a 'scaredy-dog' and a few other more hidden insults. Her teeth gritted together as she humphed and stared hard at the ground. Nao was always trying to annoy her, in a friendly manner as the redhead often stated. Though it really was unnerving. But Natsuki couldn't deny that her friend had a point.

Sometimes she really was too scared to just act.

- - -

"_C'mon Natsuki! Don't be afraid!"_

_It was summer time and hands were placed firmly on her back, trying to shove a teenaged girl forward. Said girl was draped in a pale blue shirt with an open white hoody and jeans. Her friend behind her, a busty redhead with a red shirt and beige skirt had her hands on the teen's shoulders and was trying to encourage her. Encouraging meant shoving with all her might though the young biker was putting up quite a fight._

_With her shoes hard on the ground and back pedaling, Natsuki was easily warding off her friend's antics to get her to move forward. Her teeth were clenched together and her face was scrunched up in defiance and annoyance. She seemed to be doing everything she could to resist._

_Though she wasn't counting on another pair of hands adding to the pressure on her back and pushing her. _

_With a yelp, the biker lost her footing and stumbled forward. Then she was twirling her head over her heels and rolling along the pavement. For a few tense moments, she felt concrete and pain shooting up her back and then…_

_SPLASH!_

_Water burst into her mouth as she gasped and flailed her arms in the water. She clawed upward and swung her head through the surface, coughing as chlorine and liquid clogged her throat. Wide, shocked viridian irises stared horrified as the teen waved around in the pool. Laughter was heard just behind her and she swung around with a death glare._

_Nao was bent over, hands on her jeans and her chest heaving with hysteria. Her beret was flopped to one side of her head as she tried to keep her balance so she wouldn't suffer the same fate as her drenched friend. Her green eyes, paler than Natsuki's and sneakier, looked at her friend tauntingly as she snickered._

_Natsuki snarled and waded to the side of the pool, climbing out. Moisture leaked from her clothes and she heaved slightly from the adrenaline of being pushed into the pool. Wiping her face, she lunged at Nao with a roar, "Damnit Nao what the hell was that for?!"_

_Nao scurried just out of reach of her enraged friend and snickered at the wet teen. She ducked behind Mai and poked her head out, still laughing, "Geez Kuga don't be so uptight! It was just a harmless prank!"_

"_Harmless my ass!" Natsuki said as she grabbed Nao from behind Mai and proceeded to grab her in a headlock. _

_Her friend squirmed and wailed, waving her arms out, "Hey hey hey! You're getting me all wet!"_

"_Taste my fury!" Natsuki howled with a smug smirk as she dragged the redhead to the pool in Mai's backyard. _

_Said ginger-haired girl was watching both her friends with an amused grin as Nao tried to fight Natsuki off. The cobalt-haired teen was having none of it as she plunged both herself and Nao into the water._

"_Ahhh!! Damnit Kuga you ruined my new shirt! You can never take a joke can ya?!" Nao squeaked as she raced for the pool's edge._

_Natsuki pulled her back and shoved her underwater with an evil glint in her eye, "Not when it involves ruining MY new shirt! Suffer the consequences!"_

_Mai snorted at the two raucous girls and called to them, "Alright alright enough you two! Don't try and drown each other," she grinned._

"_She's the one who shoved me in," Natsuki mumbled sullenly as she swam back and pulled out. Sitting on the edge, she leaned back with her arms and eyed Nao who was now just swimming about as if nothing had happened._

_The redhead turned her lime eyes on Natsuki and stuck her tongue out, "You're just a big chicken Kuga. You never like to take risks or anything! And you always ruin my fun!" she pouted._

"_Shut up Nao," Natsuki said dryly as Mai laughed again._

- - -

"Hey Kuga! Kuga? Yo woman!"

"What?" Natsuki snapped her head around, eyes clearing from her haze. Nao was gazing at her curiously, head tilted.

"You ok? You kinda spaced out there."

"Y-Yeah I'm fine," she mumbled as she pushed herself off the wall. She sighed and snagged her keys out of her pocket, "Hey I'm gonna go Nao. I think I might check that pianist out after all. What's the worst that could happen?"

"That's the spirit!" Nao grinned as she grabbed her sticks again. She was about to start another rolling tune when Natsuki's voice broke through her.

"Oh…and one more thing. I'm not afraid to take risks," Natsuki quipped cockily as she disappeared from the garage.

Nao paused, arms still raised. Her eyebrows quirked in confusion and she stared after her friend, "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

- - -

She felt a little lighter as she drove through the city once again, green eyes brighter and livelier. The tentative turmoil that had been churning in her belly was now soothed, confidence waving off her racing form. Her eyes were on the road, but her mind was on the address Reito had given her. Her heart was starting a nervous dance in her chest again as she drove through the streets. She hadn't been around Kiyohime Avenue before but a quick call on a phone booth to Mai and she'd received directions. Her friend's voice had been stilted, as if she was still a little angry about Natsuki not giving Reito much of a chance. Natsuki had paid the stiff tone not much heed. She'd just promise to go with Mai on one of her shopping sprees and then everything would be smoothed between them, though she hated shopping.

Her green eyes focused on the road again and she glanced around the streets. She'd left the suburban part of the city and was now surrounded by towering apartment buildings. She wasn't very far now, she noted, judging by the addresses on the side.

Revving up her engine, Natsuki continued on with her drive with only one thing on mind.

Meeting this pianist.

- - -

Finally, she'd made it to her apartment.

Her hands were shaking to the point where one wrong move and her groceries would plummet to the floor. Her calf muscles ached from being taut as she made her way to the elevator. Dark burgundy eyes flickered uncertainly as she pondered whether to take the elevator or the stairs. The elevator was faster, but the tight space would send her nauseous stomach into a fit. Resignedly, she padded to the stairs and began to make her trek upwards.

The winding stairs didn't help to quell the nausea burning in her stomach and her head began to feel faint. Her breathing was ragged and perspiration lined her brow. Her black coat draped over her slim form felt hot and suffocating. Reaching her floor, she scrabbled against the door of the stairs and slammed it open. Her footsteps rang loudly in her ears and the blood pumping in her veins shot up her neck and flushed her face.

Her apartment door burst open and crashed into the wall as she made her entrance. Black cloth fluttered and her fair hair shadowed her face as she rushed to the kitchen. Quickly dropping her groceries, the brunette skulked to the living room. Scarlet eyes, frantic, whirled around the room and then settled on an ebony wooded piano. Her blood colored eyes trained on the piano as her feet guided her across the floor. Slender fingers quivered as she reached for the piano. Alabaster and obsidian keys glimmered just underneath her palms and her breathing quickened. Her fingers came into contact with the keys, gently as if she was afraid of breaking them. Just as gently, she rested her bottom on the dark seat and her shoulders trembled. Scarlet eyes burned like the darkest of fires.

She didn't do a warm up, didn't try to test out any of the keys to figure out what she wanted to play. No, she already knew what she wanted to play. It was the same maddening tune in her chest; the tune of her heart wailing and ramming her chest in a consonant beat. Her fingers brushed across the surface of the keys as she began to play. Each movement of her hands was sure placed, nothing of a sour note echoing. Her blood seared hotly and pumped with the tune of the piano.

She played like she was the sole being creating music in the world. She played as if she was alone, isolated and cut off from everything in the waking world. She played the tune of a raging storm that screamed into the dark, pouring sky with rain descending like shooting stars. She poured her heart, soul, and mind into each key. She played as if she was bleeding.

An angry, earth shattering tone.

A tone reflecting the entwinement of blood and water, dying life and stormy skies.

- - -

Her ears caught the sound as soon as she exited the elevator. Frosted viridian eyes blinked questioningly and she perked toward the sound. Her ears rang with the explosive tone and she allowed herself to close her eyes, letting the furious music sink into her core. Tremors grappled her being. It was a sorrowful tune, though nothing like her own music. Brittle and stiff anger mixed into the misery like ink splattering on white paper.

The very feel of the rising symphony left a taste in her mouth, a bitter taste. Her lips pursed and then gasped softly as her legs carried her instinctively to the sound. Anger, bright and unyielding, faced her head on as she neared an open door. The vague thought of why someone would leave their door open was lost in the sea of questions that buzzed excitedly as the playing continued. Her footfalls barely made any disturbance, completely drowned out by the austere melody. Her eyes cast wary but awed glances as she moved into the apartment. With her chest constricting and her stomach fluttering, she crossed into the living room.

All she saw was hair the color of pale oak and lithe shoulders clad in a black coat. She caught the movement of firm arms moving and long fingers sweeping across the piano keys. Back muscles rippled in tension that was released by the sound of the indignant tune. Sparse breathing from the person was engulfed by the bitter sounds the keys chorused.

Natsuki sucked in her breath.

Lightheadedness inflicted itself upon her and she found that no oxygen would traverse the column of her throat into her lungs. Her eyelids fluttered weakly and her mouth gaped open and tried to gasp in air. Dark lashes grazed her pale cheeks as she closed her eyes and listened to the music. She listened to the unbridled anger, sorrow, and bitterness all majestically crafted in the wave crashing tune. It felt as if a storm was bearing down on her. She could almost _feel _rain cascading down and against her porcelain skin.

That was until the music stopped, so abruptly.

Emerald eyes snapped open…and they stared into clouded eyes the color of dim bloody red. Scarlet eyes they were, passionate eyes. Natsuki could only conjure one thought.

_She's the one…_

* * *

**Wolf: **At last…at painful last…again sorry for the wait guys. D: Bad luck liked to stab me and push obstacles in my way with this chapter. (shoots her luck) 

Anyways I hope you guys liked it. I hope I didn't make anyone OOC…and if there are such questions, yes there's a reason for Shizuru's brittle playing of which will be explained later. ;3 Lateeeeerrrr…There was more humor in this chapter than I thought there would be but maybe I got a little carried away with Nao…had fun bringing her into the chapter though.

:3 Reviews are appreciated…


	4. No Second First Impressions

**Wolf: **2:27 am. I have a habit of writing late in the…morning. Naughty naughty antics. Anyways! So…I'm gonna eat my ramen while I give all my reviewers and readers the REAL chapter they've been dying to see. Yes after thirsting for 3 chapters, the long awaited REAL ShizNat meeting. And so it is with my happiness that I present you this lovely chap while dreading the wrath of my 'lil mother in the next hours after catching me up so late. Eep! (runs)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Mai HiME.

**Play For Me**

Chapter 4  
No Second First Impressions

* * *

Caught. 

That was how she felt, caught red-handed doing something naughty. In all actuality, she really was caught red-handed doing something naughty. A tiny nagging voice in the back of her mind was hissing to her that said naughty thing was entering someone's home without permission. However, another little voice was whispering back that it wasn't completely her fault. The door had been left wide open. Though the dark-haired youth wasn't listening to either voice. No, her attention was solely elsewhere.

Her attention was completely on the woman in front of her, who was moving at a suspiciously sedate pace. Her long legs swung one in front of the other in a grace that was full of power and poise. Her arms swung in a similar matter, strength flowing up to her shoulders as well as a line of slender muscles constricting in tension. A slender porcelain neck swallowed hard, veiled by flaxen tresses. A few more powerful strides and then she was in front of Natsuki, no more than a foot away.

The youth stared at nothing for a few moments; gaze directed nowhere specifically as she looked on dully. Gradually, her viridian eyes pulled upward along the woman's dark-clad form. She grazed those strong shoulders and that long neck, which she swore she saw an artery pulsing in rigidity, and peered upward toward the female's face. A sharp chin smoothed outward from the pale brunette's face; a sleek nose lightly flared. Hot breath almost reached Natsuki's face from a pair of rosy lips. Strangely, the woman's cheeks were brightly flushed, though whether from exertion or anger she wasn't sure. She hoped the former.

She continued on slowly studying that face, eyes flicking away from the high cheekbones and up the core of the pianist's face. Those scarlet eyes again, a shade of blood-red so deep that Natsuki thought it was almost endless, fading to black crimson along the rim of her pupils. Very faint flecks of amber and burgundy tinted the edges of the woman's irises. Though the paler shades were washed away and plunged into the scarlet depths. Natsuki sucked in her breath.

Those eyes weren't at all welcoming.

They scorched at Natsuki, effectively pinning her where she stood. A deep anger swirled and fogged the woman's gaze. She stared at Natsuki hotly and unclearly. For a reason she couldn't fathom, the guitarist thought that the brunette wasn't so much as looking her as she was judging her very soul. That dark gaze felt like it was so.

Then, just like a raging storm, the anger slowly diminished and the clouded look focused. The tension along her form melted as a sigh released from the musician. The fury in her scarlet eyes faded so smoothly and her face relaxed so easily, Natsuki wasn't aware that she was just gawking at her until the next shocking thing happened. The woman spoke.

"Ara…"

Her mind reeled and she tried desperately to steady herself at that. Astonishment gripped her legs and buckled her knees as her emerald eyes rounded at the woman. Her voice was soft and coated with a heavy accent, one she vaguely recalled as Kyoto-ben. Her head sluggishly swung from side to side, disbelieving. Why was she in disbelief? She didn't rightly know. All she knew was that the ambition she'd always felt when interviewing a promising pianist was shooting up from the tips of her toes and through her body so swiftly that speech was impossible for her. She could only gape at the Kyoto woman stupidly for several long moments, as if she'd never seen a creature like her.

However, the pianist was far from sharing Natsuki's speechless enthusiasm.

Her dim eyes were now growing wider fraction by fraction as confusion blanketed her mind. Her first question was as followed: who was this odd girl just staring slack-jawed at her on her doorstep? Why was she just gawking like that? The brunette eyed her up and down, staring at the jeans and pale green shirt with a blue vest that the girl was wearing. She _looked _harmless enough.

Her scarlet eyes trailed up and studied the girl's face quite seriously, caution at the edges of her face. Soft young cheeks, a smooth chin and jaw line, a tiny nose, porcelain neck, and a pair of the most vivid viridian green eyes she'd ever seen. Locks of midnight cobalt framed the girl's visage, sweeping along her back like a sleek waterfall. She was a cool beauty, an icy beauty. There wasn't a tint of any warm colors on her adolescent form. The Kyoto-ben native had the strangest idea that she was staring at a young icy queen rising from her long dead frosted burial. A grand site the little porcelain-skinned female was.

Though her demeanor was far from grand.

Having had about enough of the girl's gaping, the brunette tilted her head to the side. A calculating look entered her eyes as a smile thinly curled her lips. Natsuki finally did react at this. She twitched, arching a fine eyebrow at the brunette in wonder and question. The brunette's words were tinged with playfulness, yet underneath was a cautious tone, "Ara…thank you for breaking into my home and presenting me with your…exquisite image…but who are you?"

Green eyes rounded in surprise as a faint tint of pink colored Natsuki's cheek. She continued to gawk at the woman for another few more minutes as she processed the words. _Is this lady teasing me? No shit Natsuki of course she is. She just mocked you on your lack of…style for entering her home…without her permission...oh shit! _Struggling to gain back her dignity and pushing down her panic, she coughed and stammered, "Uhh…uhh the door was open…and I heard music and I…I…" she trailed off dumbly, still staring.

Amusement darkened the scarlet eyes gazing back at her as the woman smirked and stepped a few paces back into her home, "I see. So you came like a moth to a flame at hearing my music? Am I right in assuming you've a passion for music as well?" she asked as she sat down on her soft brown sofa.

Natsuki stood there, eying the woman as her dark eyes continued to glimmer in amusement. With her arm on the edge of her sofa and the other one on her lap, she looked friendly enough. Her eyebrows knitted for a moment before she continued smiling and beckoned the biker forward with a simple flick of her wrist. _Strange thing #2. Strange thing #1, woman doesn't close her door and practically invites all trespassers as she merrily…ok not so merrily plays her piano. She ignores everything else. Now she's…asking me to sit with her? Yeah…strange thing #2._

Despite the urgent voices that hissed in her head that she shouldn't be doing such a thing with a stranger, Natsuki dipped her head in a single nod and padded to the couch. She sunk down onto the soft cushions and draped her arms across her legs, hands fiddling between her slightly parted knees. Out of the corner of her eye, she observed the brunette sitting next to her. Calm, poised, and perfectly peaceful were all good adjectives to describe her. There was not a hair misplaced. A very different image than the one Natsuki had first been introduced with.

The vision she'd be presented with as she'd watched the woman rise from her piano and stalk toward her had been powerful, angry. Her eyes were dark and accusing and her jaw had been tight. Had Natsuki been stupid, she'd have thought the female was about to punch her. However, the angry visage had melted away so quickly, so easily that Natsuki could have only gawked at it.

_Strange thing #3…woman is possibly bipolar. _

Rapidly shaking her head at the rude and blunt comment in her head, Natsuki felt as an embarrassed flush tinged her cheeks. Her host looked at her curiously, one eyebrow arched as she contemplated what was wrong with her guest. The girl was strange and becoming stranger still. She seemed to be having an internal war, shaking her head as if she was appalled by something. The brunette's lips twitched when she saw a splash of cherry red stain the youth's cheeks. _Adorable…who is she?_

"So who sent you?"

The question startled her, brought her out of her jumbled thoughts and she turned to the pianist, eyebrows folding into a frown. Who sent her? What kind of question was that? Natsuki mulled over this for a moment until she mumbled, "Sent me? No one sent me…I came on my own."

"Ara, is that so? So I guess Reito finally quit his old tricks and has finally given up on trying to bait me out of my placid life," she remarked, shooting the biker a calculated look.

At once, as if she'd been dumped with icy water, Natsuki realized why the woman kept shooting sharp, accusatory glances at her. This brunette, this pianist thought that she'd been sent by someone else for lord knows what. Bristling oddly, Natsuki pulled back her lips and snapped, "I'm not here by his standards, I'm here by my own."

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of having such a cool beauty breaking into my home?" the brunette quipped back, rising from the couch and making her way to the kitchen.

A vein pulsating angrily on her temple, Natsuki snarled and followed after her with a snappish bark, "You make me sound like a criminal! You were the one who left your door open! And I came here because…because…well…Kanzaki-san recommended you and…" she trailed off, unsure of how to approach her request to what was obviously not a friendly woman.

"So he did send you, indirectly speaking. Out of all the prestigious pianists that he could have given you a list of thousands, he sent you to me," the female murmured softly, though a biting tone laced underneath. She was at the counter of her kitchen now, hands reaching for a mug as she grasped a tea kettle and began to heat some water.

"Uhh…" Natsuki had no retort to that, seeing that the black-clad woman had a point. She may have come for her own reasons, but it was Reito initially who led her into this direction. What was wrong with the woman? Why was she so…bitter? _She sounds like an old angry widowed crone…_Natsuki let out a soft snicker at this thought, not able to contain herself.

Her host didn't let this go unnoticed, eying her just as curiously and suspiciously. Natsuki sucked in her breath and watched as the woman went about preparing what she now realized was tea. _Ok Natsuki take this slow. Obviously this woman's been bugged before by…other people…have to ask Reito what's up about that…You don't want her kicking you out or anything…or calling the police as she blatantly thinks I'm some delinquent criminal. Nice and slow…just casually note your requests. _Straightening her posture and determination burning in her emerald depths, Natsuki spoke, "Let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Kuga Natsuki. I'm an adept guitarist, pianist, and vocalist. I was originally taught by my mother with the piano, but brushed up my music skills at the Garderobe Musical Academy. I've also graduated from Tokyo University."

A fair brow was upraised at Natsuki's formal tone and a smirk curled the brunette's lips. Amusement twinkled in her dim eyes as she stared at the stiff guitarist. _So she's not as ill-mannered as I thought she was…quite the credentials she has. Garderobe Musical Academy. She must have quite a passion and ambition if she 'brushed up her skills' there. _Scarlet eyes glittered at the musician as she stirred a steaming mug of green tea. Bringing it upward, she paused before her lips touched the rim and replied, "Impressive. So you're more than just one who likes to break into people's houses. You're a certified musician."

The vein on Natsuki's temple seemed to pump harder and her teeth clenched as she growled, "Would you cut that out? I didn't mean to break into your house! You left the door open for goodness sake! What kind of person leaves their door open like that?!"

This time it was the pianist's turn to look upset as a minimal glare creased her fair brow. She lowered her mug slightly as she spoke in a poised voice, "What kind of person intrudes on one's home and just stares at the owner for several long moments and then proceeds to question them?"

"The kind who wonders at said home owner's abilities to take care of themselves!" Natsuki quipped as her vein continued to pump angrily, giving her the image of an upset puppy. She turned to the kitchen table and pointed accusingly at the brown bags still left there untouched, "Look you haven't even put your groceries away! Food spoils and doesn't grow on trees...ok well it does but…money doesn't grow on trees!" she snarled.

"I can take care of myself just fine," the brunette commented dryly.

"Sure you can. Do you usually just waltz into your home, dump everything you were doing and then march to your piano and begin to play up a storm? What do the neighbors think?!" Natsuki mocked, trying to refrain from snickering and failing.

Another twitch in the woman's calm mask.

"Do you usually waltz into someone's home without permission? Committing a crime?" the woman quipped back cheekily with a grin.

"It's not a crime if the person invites me in afterward!" Natsuki roared, viridian eyes blazing with her rage.

"Oh so you agree that you do barge in on people's homes?" the woman countered, sipping her tea delicately.

"Argh! No I don't! And I didn't mean to barge in on you I just…I…" the biker trailed off again, her speech stuttering as she felt her cheeks grow hot from the woman's obvious amusement. She fidgeted before her, twiddling her thumbs as she tried to clarify her words.

The woman lowered her cup once more and stared at the dark-haired youth with inquisitive dark eyes. _Ara…she's adorable when she pouts…but she's still rude. _Her eyebrow twitched at this and she smirked once more, voice coming out in a low drawl, "You just what?"

"Well I heard your playing…and Kanzaki-san recommended you and he was right when he said you were good," she paused at the challenging look in the woman's scarlet eyes, "Ok he said you were the most passionate pianist he's ever seen," she added and the pianist's face cleared as she smiled. Natsuki continued, "And I…well I'm looking for a pianist…and…you…" she left her words hanging, a hopeful look entering her eyes.

_And now she's turned into a cute little puppy begging her master to give her what she wants,_ the pianist observed, her smirk growing wider. _Too bad I won't give her what she wants. _Her scarlet eyes glimmered mischievously as she sipped her tea once more, eyes fluttering shut, "And so you decided that I'd be your pianist?"

"Ahuh," Natsuki responded, eagerly and anxiously watching the Kyoto-born. Her eyes started to sparkle even more as she expectantly asked, "Will you?"

_This is great! If she accepts I can start phase 2 of my career! Start a band…need to ask Nao if she'll join. She's the only person I like who plays drums. Even though she's one of the most annoying little insects I know. _By now Natsuki had taken on a giddy, excited look as her hopeful grinned widened.

"No."

Her happy thoughts came crashing into a brick wall. Natsuki could have sworn she heard a distant slamming, crashing, shattering noise in her head. Viridian eyes rounded in utter disbelief as her jaw dropped. Her gaze fixated hazily on the brunette as the woman kept on calmly sipping her tea. She stammered, trying to get a hold of her shocked self, "W-What?"

"I said no."

"You…you refuse?" Natsuki squeaked weakly, staring with a still slackened jaw at the oak-haired female.

Scarlet eyes lifted to Natsuki again and the woman tilted her head to the side, "Ara, did I stutter? I don't believe I did. Yes I do refuse."

"Why?!" the blue-haired guitarist almost wailed, staring at her in wide-eyed shock as her hopes crashed around her like multiple bombs.

"Because I've no interest to become your pianist. You've good credentials, but I've seen better and better have come to see me and they've all received the same response. No," the dark-eyed woman responded, her voice beginning to lace with discontent.

Natsuki's face erupted in dark shades of red and steam could almost be seen puffing out of her ears as her short temper was completely ignited. Being refused was one thing. Being refused and then insulted in a mocking manner was another thing. With an increasingly reddening face, at which the brunette was sure Natsuki's head would explode from all the blood, she lashed out, "You…you…YOU BITCH! No one insults me and gets away with it! I may not be one of the most highly credentialed but at least I'm not some hermit woman leaving all isolated by herself and refusing any company at all and then proceeding to insult them! You superior bitch!"

"Ara…and I'm not a cocky delinquent who thinks people will throw themselves at her feet and plead to become her music partner," the pianist shot back, brow creasing angrily.

Natsuki's face turned a darker red and she snarled, "Shut up!"

"Kuga-san is becoming too rowdy. I'm afraid I'll have to ask her to leave," the Kyoto-native rasped, glare turning icy. With that said, she grabbed Natsuki's arm and proceeded to pull her toward the door.

Natsuki stumbled slightly on her feet as she was dragged by the other woman and shrilly cried, "You're kicking me out?! That's rude!"

"Yes I believe I am kicking you out. And it's not as rude as calling one's host a…bitch," the pianist replied with a look bordering mischief and offense.

A gasp left the youth's lips as she was lightly pushed out of the still-open door. She turned; rage heating her evergreen gaze as she snapped, "You can't do this!"

"I believe I just did. Good day Kuga-san!" the woman quipped brightly with a toothy smile as she moved to close the door.

"W-Wait!" Natsuki gasped as she caught the brunette's arm before she closed the door. Her viridian eyes flickered anxiously as she rasped in a much softer voice, "Can I at least know your name?"

Scarlet eyes flickered with an odd emotion, as if she was disbelieving that the blue-haired musician would want something as simple as her name. Despite the oddity of the request, the brunette replied just as softly, "Fujino Shizuru."

"Fujino-san…" Natsuki murmured, testing it on her tongue and feeling it slide from her lips in a strange fashion. A smirk lit her face as she turned back to the door.

Only to have it slam in her face with a last, "Farewell Kuga-san!"

Natsuki stared. Or more like gawked as she stood in front of the door, as if doing so would reopen it. Her jaw slackened and her eyes practically bugged out. She'd just been mocked, insulted, refused, and kicked out all in one day. She was possibly teased too. Her eye twitched angrily and she growled, punching the door with a sharp, "DAMNIT!"

Immediately, the door opened and dark furious scarlet eyes faced Natsuki again as Shizuru lifted a phone and smirked smugly as if to say 'If you won't leave and stop making such a ruckus I'll call the cops'.

Natsuki backed off with her hands up in the air in a defensive motion and huffed, "Ok ok I get it. I'm gone now."

That said, the musician whipped around on her heel and walked along the floor, growling in frustration as she disappeared in the elevator. Shizuru gazed after her with slightly suspicious eyes, making sure the youth was completely out of sight before she ducked back into her apartment.

The Kyoto-born tapped her chin thoughtfully as she mulled over the events that had just occurred. She was annoyed, at the guitarist and at Reito for once again meddling into her reserved life. That man just always had to send someone crawling to her home looking for some kind of partnership. Often though those meetings were frustrating and lead to the requesters being kicked out of her apartment. All of them wanted her for one thing and one thing only. Her skills, sometimes even her beauty. _Though I'll admit I've never had a woman wanting to be my musical partner. She was interesting…if somewhat egotistical. _Scarlet eyes twinkled as Shizuru recalled the adorable sight of Natsuki's blushing face and she snickered. _Though…she needs to work on her manners. Honestly, bitch? What a cute, short-tempered puppy. _Smirk still in place, she glided to her phone and picked it up. As she dialed a number, her eyes turned from amused to angry and she hissed into the phone when someone picked up.

"Hello?" a masculine voice asked curiously into the line.

Shizuru's smirk turned callous and cold as she whispered back, "Hello Reito. I believe we have some business to discuss."

- - -

"She was a pompous bitch!"

The first thing Natsuki had done the moment she arrived home, frustrated and tired, was call Mai and Nao. It hadn't taken long for her two friends to scurry to her apartment, sensing Natsuki's irritated mood. Now both redheads were watching the biker pace back and forth in her living room with her face scrunched in anger. Natsuki kept mumbling to herself, often spouting curses and insults about what Mai and Nao presumed was the pianist she'd met. Obviously, the meeting didn't go so well.

Mai watched and bit her lip, anxiety coating her violet eyes as she scratched her head. Nao was listening to Natsuki's rambles, snickering at the insults. The lime-eyed female leaned back on the couch and casually asked, "Wow she must have been one if you're all worked up over her. Geez calm down Kuga. No need to get so upset."

"I'm not upset! And even if I was I'd have a good reason to be!" Natsuki snapped as she continued her pacing, shoving her arms into her jean pockets and scowling.

Mai scratched her head and cautiously spoke, "Uhh Natsuki did you offend her….in anyway? Because maybe it was something you said that got you kicked out…"

Natsuki paused. Her steps halted and she looked at Mai sheepishly as her viridian eyes glittered with embarrassment and shame. She was positive it wasn't just _one _thing she'd said to Fujino Shizuru, but a number of things. So she entered her home without permission, big deal. So she'd basically called her a stuck-up snob, big deal. So she'd commented that the woman was something like a hermit, big deal. So she'd said that the woman didn't know how to take care of herself, big deal. So she'd yelled at her, big deal. So she'd called her a bitch…ok big deal. With every listing of the faulty behavior she'd shown, Natsuki's face became redder and redder with abashment. Pride fogged her head so thickly though and she wouldn't allow herself to admit it. She snapped her head up and stuttered with a bright pink face, "I-It's not like she was any better herself! She mocked, insulted, and teased me! She called me a delinquent and a criminal!" the biker wailed, flapping her arms.

"Damn that does suck. I'm on Kuga's side, this woman sounds like a bitch," Nao said. Her lime eyes glittered mischievously and she snickered, "Let's get her back by tagging her car or sending her hate mail or something."

Natsuki held in a snort of laughter at Nao's childish attempts at seeking revenge on Shizuru. Though she had to admit that it appealed slightly to her. Mai rolled her eyes and threw one of the couch pillows at the redhead, who promptly squeaked and ducked. The ginger-haired girl ignored Nao who stuck her tongue out and turned back to Natsuki, "C'mon Natsuki what did you do?"

Sulking and knowing she wouldn't be able to wriggle out when Mai pulled that soft coaxing voice, the biker crossed her arms and pouted, "I…sorta entered her house without permission…"

"You broke into her home?! Damn Kuga! Didn't know you were a felon! Why didn't you invite me for some of the fun?! And here I was thinking you didn't like taking risks!" Nao howled, rolling back on the couch and laughing.

"I didn't break into her home! She left the door open ok?! And after I did…enter without permission…the woman all but cheerily invited me inside after like…looking at me as if she was gonna unleash her guard dog or something," Natsuki grumbled.

"She sounds bipolar," Nao blurted out, eyebrows arched.

Mai once again threw another pillow at the young drummer, this time successfully hitting Nao's face. She turned her attention back to Natsuki and sighed at the sullen look the girl wore. Natsuki really did sometimes wear her heart on her sleeve, at least with people she was close to. The biker resembled a puppy that'd done something bad and was now being scolded by its owner. With a downcast face and large emerald eyes coupled with a pout, Natsuki really did look like a puppy. Shaking her head, Mai answered softly, "It looks like you two just made some bad first impressions on each other."

Natsuki nodded glumly and moved to sit by her friend. The busty woman patted the girl's shoulder as she tried her best at comforting the rejected and kicked puppy. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, Mai tried consoling her, "Well…there are other pianists out there still Natsuki. Why don't we give Reito a call and ask for other recommendations? I'm sure he's got a few more up his sleeve. Much nicer ones…"

The guitarist shook her head and continued to sulk, dully mumbling, "They probably wouldn't be as good. Kanzaki-san said she was the most passionate pianist he'd ever seen. And he was right! I've never seen anyone play so…" she paused and searched for a word.

"Earth shaking? Soul shattering? Heart breaking?" Nao filled in for her as the redhead put the pillows back on the couch.

"Smoldering," Natsuki finally decided. It was difficult to describe what she had felt when she'd heard Shizuru play. A combination of anger, sorrow, and bitterness had been weaved in so tightly, so forcefully that her heart had been left trembling in its torrential wake. Her soul had been writhed and stretched apart at the symphony of the keys Shizuru had touched. A mass of emotions had racked her core and seeped into her skin so brutally that Natsuki could still feel the song prickling the fine hairs on her nape. She sighed and rubbed her face on her hand, "You guys should have been there. It was…it was like a downpour of emotions all rolled into one song. It sounded so miserable, so angry. Argh! I can't explain it. You'd have to have been there."

"You sound like you're in love with her music. Marry it," Nao smirked, shoulders lightly bouncing with inaudible chuckles. Once again, a pillow was quickly thrown at the redhead, but this time it was by Natsuki instead of Mai.

"What am I going to do? I lost the chance of the only pianist I actually liked and now…" Natsuki's pout intensified and her evergreen eyes sparkled with moisture. Instead of the puppy that'd done something wrong image, she resembled more of a small puppy kicked out in the rain. Mai's violet eyes softened and she patted the girl's shoulder as she tried to think of what to do. _Aww the poor thing. She's just like a cute little puppy. Not my puppy though hehe._

"Easy Kuga!" Nao suddenly interjected with a wide grin, "I know what you need to do!"

A pair of green eyes and a pair of violet pools looked inquiringly at Nao. Natsuki and Mai both tilted their heads in a similar fashion as they questioned the redhead, "What?"

"Well…all you gotta do is…" Nao said slowly, as if she was explaining something hard to a pair of five year-olds.

"Yeaaaah?" Natsuki and Mai asked, leaning in closer and peering at the redhead with large curious eyes.

Nao's smirk grew wider and a devilish gleam entered her lime eyes, "All you gotta do is…drop down and beg, grovel, groan, and moan on your hands and knees to the woman!"

The two girls reared their heads back, each taking on a look of surprise as their jaws dropped. Nao stared back at them with the utmost dead serious expression she could give, though the corner of her lips jerked and her lime eyes glittered with mirth. Natsuki's face distorted slowly, lips parting and twitching madly with widening eyes as if Nao's statement had crazed her. Mai's own violet pools rounded and she continued to gawk for a few moments until her stare became quizzical, wondering at Nao's choice of words. Nao continued to sport a calm look until she suddenly dropped her chin to her chest and snorted in laughter at the astonished faces she'd gotten. Her two companions observed her and then, with a furious roar, Natsuki lunged at the girl and tackled her down. Mai was still staring at nothing, tossing words in her head.

"Idiot! Why would I go and do that?! Do you want me to lose all my dignity?!" Natsuki snarled in anger as she scuffled with the redhead who was trying to scurry away from her friend's rough hands.

"Ahh! Ahh! Ouch ouch ouch Kuga! Let go!" Nao yelped as she tried to fend off Natsuki's hands that grabbed at her shoulders and pulled her into a headlock. One calloused hand buried itself into Nao's short red hair and proceeded to grind the knuckles against her scalp, effectively giving her a nuggie.

While Natsuki continued assaulting Nao's head, Mai was still seated cross-legged on the couch. Her brow folded delicately into a frown as a thoughtful expression entered her eyes. She tapped her finger against her chin and pondered for a bit. Then, as if a light bulb had suddenly lit above her head, she grinned and clapped her hands together with a squeal, "I got it!"

Both raucous adolescents turned to Mai, blinking two sets of green eyes. They both bore the same expression of 'Huh? Got what?' on their faces. Completely stilled of their actions, the two musicians watched as Mai leaped off the couch and padded excitedly to Natsuki's kitchen with a wide grin, "I know just how to make things right! Muffins! I'll make some muffins and Natsuki can give them to Fujino-san! Everyone likes muffins!" Mai quipped excitedly in the kitchen.

Nao and Natsuki stared after her, the only motion in their bodies being the turning of their heads and gazes. They listened to the sound of Mai humming and bustling around in the kitchen, mumbling something about muffins. Both women felt their eyes twitch and they bent down slightly, snickering together. Nao wriggled in Natsuki's headlock and smirked, "Muffins ey? Why didn't you think of that Kuga?"

Natsuki instantly stopped her laughter and then continued on with her punishment, "Shut up Nao! I didn't hear anything about muffins from you!"

"Ow! Watch it! That hurts Kuga! Let go, I have a soft head!" Nao wailed.

"You have an empty head!" Natsuki retorted as she continued her attack on Nao's head.

While both girls fought in the living room, Mai was bouncing around Natsuki's kitchen, occasionally trying not to trip over any stray empty bottles of mayonnaise. She scratched her head at the wonder of her friend's addiction while mixing some batter. _Muffins can make anyone happy. All Natsuki needs to do is give these to Fujino-san, apologize, and then persuade her to become her pianist! And then happy ending! All thanks to me! _The ginger-haired female took on a shimmering violet-eyed expression, as if she was imagining something grand. _Natsuki will be so happy! And I'll be the hero! _Mai giggled and continued on making her batch of muffins.

It was a while after when Nao and Natsuki finally poked their heads in, noses twitching as they followed the scent of freshly baked muffins. Drool pooled at the corners of their mouths as their bright green eyes fixated on the fluffy golden-brown batch of treats sitting on the counter. Completely unaware of the danger they were about to brace, both girls tiptoed into the kitchen and skulked like hungry mischievous puppies to the muffins. Natsuki loomed over the batch with feral, hungry eyes as an evil grin curled her mouth. Drool trickled down Nao's chin at the sight of the food and her stomach gave a hungry growl. Both reached forward, hands outstretched and moving in agonizingly slow moments. They were so close, able to feel the heat radiating off the muffins in a cloud of invisible steam. So close, just a few more inches, and they'd have the muffins in their grasps. Just a few more centimeters; both were already imagining stuffing the delicious pastries in their mouths, savoring the succulent fresh taste. They almost had them now, faces peering closer and drool dropping on the ground. And just before they could snatch the tasty morsels…

SMACK!

Two symmetrical cries of pain echoed in the kitchen and Natsuki and Nao shied backward, both delicately cradling each of their right hands. Tears welled in the girls' eyes as they whimpered at the throbbing of their appendages, watching as the back of their palms quickly began to burn a bright shade of red. Meekly, both of them trailed their eyes from their hands, across the floor, up a pair of legs, along a pink apron, and stared at Mai's slightly reproachful face. The violet-eyed girl tapped her foot in irritation, arms crossed and holding a spatula as she said, "No touching the muffins you guys. Those are for Fujino-san and Natsuki's apology."

"I can't even have one?!" Nao and Natsuki whined sadly, eyes big and teary.

Mai shook her head and grabbed the muffins, tenderly placing them in a plastic container. Putting away the spatula, she picked up the container and placed it in Natsuki's hands just as tenderly, as if she was giving away a precious valuable treasure. With serious, solemn eyes she said, "Well here you go Natsuki. Take these to Fujino-san and get ready to apologize….and don't eat any!" she added sharply.

Viridian eyes glared at Mai as Natsuki turned and headed to the door. Grabbing her keys, she grumbled at the fact that she would have to swallow down her pride and apologize. It was even worse when she couldn't even have a muffin. The cobalt-haired biker went out of the apartment, sullen and pouting once more. Nao's own lime eyes followed her just as sullenly as the guitarist disappeared. When she was gone, she turned to Mai and her shoulders drooped as she whined, "I couldn't even have one muffin? Not even one?"

A sigh came from the ginger-haired youth. Nao looked at her hopefully and expectantly. Her lime eyes brightened considerably when Mai peeked out a muffin from behind her back and held it out to the girl. The redhead grinned triumphantly and snatched it, beginning to devour it. Her thoughts were smug as she ate. _Ha! I get a muffin while Kuga doesn't and has to apologize to some uptight hermit lady! Hehehe._

- - -

She was standing just in front of the door, hands gripping the plastic container of muffins with an icy hold of determination and reluctance. On the one hand, she still wanted to have Fujino Shizuru become her musical partner. On the other hand, she didn't want to swallow her pride and apologize as well. She sighed, staring down at her shoes sulkily. _Why couldn't Kanzaki-san recommend me someone else? Why this hermit pushy woman? Grr…Ugh well here it goes Natsuki. Brace yourself to swallow your pride and grovel. _

Taking a rough swallow, the youth raised her fist and knocked on the door a few times. In the moments she waited, she steeled herself for the upcoming not-so-welcomed looks she was bound to receive. Her heart began to ram uneasily in her ribcage as she waited, hands tightening on the muffins. The muffled sound of footsteps echoed past the wooden door and her blood began to pound in her ears as she watched the door slowly creak open. Dark scarlet eyes with a tint of rusted amber peered at her from the other side of the door, framed by those familiar pale oak locks. A frown instantly creased the woman's face and she moved to shut the door.

"Wait!" Natsuki shrieked as she took a step forward and placed her foot in between the doorway. A hiss of pain sizzled up her throat and she clenched her teeth and eyes shut at the feel of the door slamming against her foot. Cursing inwardly, she managed to gasp out, "I-I…come f-for a peace offering…"

Dark eyes glanced at Natsuki's face and then down at the foot that was jammed in the doorway. Wonder and a flicker of guilt entered those eyes as Shizuru stared at Natsuki's sore foot, "Ara…Kuga-san's foot…peace offering?"

The brunette glanced up, this time with confusion. At Natsuki's nod, her gaze narrowed in suspicion as if she thought the younger girl was pulling a trick. After a few more moments at staring at the brutally honest and pleading face, which was intensified by the pain in Natsuki's foot, Shizuru sighed and opened the door wider. She gestured to let the girl in and closed the door once the youth did so. Shizuru then stalked further into her home as Natsuki got the chance to survey it a little better than the strange occurrence when she was here last time.

It wasn't a very large looking apartment. The living room was the biggest with earthen painted walls spreading across. A brown sofa sat in the middle, facing a small television and a small table sported the sofa on one side. Across the room was a little drawer on the farthest side. Then, right next to that cherry oak drawer was the dark ebony piano, looking the most clean and polished in the entire room. In the narrow hallway she stood in, Natsuki could see the entrance to the kitchen downwards and even farther were two open doors, which she presumed were the bedroom and bathroom. The one thing that she stuffed into her mind were the dark warm colors, mostly all in some shade of brown. _This lady likes her brown. _

Icy viridian eyes shot over when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Natsuki watched as Shizuru sat on her couch, tea in hand. The brunette sipped her mug, one slender leg moving to cross itself gracefully over the other. Allowing herself to observe the pianist, Natsuki noted that the long black cloak was off her shoulders. Underneath it was a simple beige button-up and a pair of dark tan slacks. Despite the casual clothing, the brunette still seemed to retain a distant and business-like manner that had been magnified by her ebony coat she'd adorned earlier. Slender fingers raised her cup once more and then one scarlet eye crept open. A tiny smile curled her lips as she gazed at Natsuki, "Kuga-san may sit down if she wishes to do so."

Startled, the musician jerked her posture straight and stiffly padded around to the couch and sat on it. Her back was rigid and straight and for a moment the only thing that sounded in the living room was Shizuru's small sipping. Then porcelain hands lifted the container of muffins and placed it on the coffee table before the couch. Natsuki slowly slid it across the table to where it ended up in front of Shizuru, her fingers twitching nervously as she replied with something of a stony tone, "Uhh…here's the peace offering. My friend, who's a chef, baked you some muffins…"

"Muffins for a stranger? Ara, how kind she must be," Shizuru quipped as she set down her tea. She didn't reach for the muffins though, only stared at it with hard dark eyes that fixed on the pale fingers and then trailed up Natsuki's long, firm arm. Scarlet eyes gazed at the girl beneath honey tresses, glinting with that same speck of suspicion.

_She's still suspicious? Ugh this is gonna be harder than I thought. _Giving a sigh, the blue-haired maiden removed her hand and placed it atop her nape. She rubbed at the back of her neck as she forced out the words in a clumsy, shy fashion, "Look I'm not good at saying sorry or nothing…it's not my department…but uhh…I just came here to tell you I'm sorry. You don't have to accept the muffins or anything. Just know that…I apologize for earlier…calling you a bitch and hermit…yeah…"

Silence. Utter silence was her answer. The small clock on the drawer nearby seemed to tick much louder with the same halting pace as her heart. Natsuki's fist curled and then opened to scratch nervously at one of her pants' legs. She kept her emerald gaze on the ground, not wanting to look at the brunette directly in the face and lose even more of her pride. More minutes stretched by and the biker was now wondering if Shizuru had heard her at all. She was about to lift her head and ask when the Kyoto-born's voice stopped her.

"Why do you want a pianist?"

It was a simple question, and yet not so simple. Her answer could have been just as simple, yet it was far from it. Her tongue suddenly seemed sluggish and awkward in her mouth as her chin rose, viridian eyes meeting those inquisitive rusted eyes. Natsuki gulped at the prying look in those eyes and felt her blood rate increase just slightly. How could she answer that? The answer was too close to her heart, too important to just give out to a stranger so suddenly. She squirmed on the brown sofa and flicked her eyes everywhere, but not at the woman. Shizuru seemed to be waiting patiently for her response; her even breathing told her this. Natsuki finally let loose another sigh, this one tinted with dejection and just the smallest bit of grief as she raised her gaze back to Shizuru. Her evergreen pools were clouded, lost in memories as she replied in a husky, reminiscent voice, "Someone…someone very close to me was a pianist. I wish to…I wish to keep the memory of that person alive."

Shizuru pulled back somewhat, eyebrows arching though not in a mocking way as she asked softly, "Then…do you not know how to play yourself? You're a musician. You've ambition, credentials, and determination. I'm sure you'd make a good pianist."

"It's not the same," Natsuki rasped as she shook her head, cobalt strands silkily caressing her face. Her hand came up and rested against her forehead as she sighed once more, "I know how to play. I've known how to play for years. But I can't…it's just not the same. Every time I play, it hurts. It all just hurts."

Rusted eyes peered at Natsuki as the girl hunched over, lost in herself. The dark orbs gazed at the melancholic look entering the pair of vivid evergreen orbs, overflowing. Natsuki's lips were pursed together and a thin line of tension creased her face from her temple, to her jaw, and following the main artery of her neck. Shizuru watched that hardening look steel Natsuki's face and her own scarlet eyes hazed. _This person you speak of must have been very special for you to be so torn. _Something verging between bitterness and understanding glowed in the dark bloody pools as the Kyoto-native lifted her mug once more. Her lips brushed the rim of it and then, in an almost unheard whisper, she answered.

"I accept."

Viridian irises widened, bewilderment collecting in the bright eyes before Natsuki turned to her with arched eyebrows, "What?"

"I said I accept. I accept Kuga-san's request for a partnership," Shizuru answered coolly as she sipped her tea.

Natsuki twitched, not knowing whether to cheer or gape at the woman before her. Her mouth opened and closed for moments, trying to form words yet no coherent syllables escaped her. Then a shaky, rolling sighed emitted from her mouth and the misery in her emerald pools cleared, bashful joy glimmering, "You accept? You really do? O-Oh…"

Shizuru watched analytically as dozens of emotions flew by in those vivid eyes, first confusion and then shock, then utter happiness which was quickly replaced with a lost look, as if Natsuki wondered why Shizuru had accepted so suddenly. Exhaling, she allowed her gaze to peer out the single window in the living room, murmuring softly, "I understand the wish to play for something important. For someone important."

A crack in the mask and Natsuki saw a hint of what could've been grief before it was tucked away by the brunette's façade. Shizuru sipped at her tea with a guarded air, unnerving the dark-haired girl beside her. Then Natsuki coughed and Shizuru felt something poke her. She glanced down and saw the plastic container poking at her arm. A questioning look was aimed at the guitarist who coughed and stuttered, "The uhh…the muffins are going to get cold."

"Ah…" Shizuru took the offered pastries and opened the plastic box. Her nose tingled at the scent of the golden-brown treats and her stomach grumbled lightly. They smelled delicious. Gently picking one up, Shizuru examined it before placing it hesitantly against her lips. She took a small bite. The Kyoto-native could feel Natsuki watching heatedly as she chewed and then swallowed. Scarlet eyes met expectant emerald, "Ara…wonderful."

Natsuki grinned widely and the tension left her shoulders as she released the breath she'd been holding. She leaned back more in relaxation against the couch and complacently watched Shizuru eat her muffin. Though her content position was foiled when her own stomach began to whimper for a taste of the sweet bread. Gulping, a little drool leaked out of her mouth as green eyes gazed longingly at the muffins. By now Shizuru had sensed Natsuki's hunger. Her dim eyes rose from the food to Natsuki, then followed her gaze back to the muffins, then back to Natsuki again. A small smile stretched her lips and she muttered, "Would Kuga-san like to have one?"

"Huh? What? Eh?" Natsuki jerked out of her hungry reverie and looked at the brunette. Her face tinged pink at the fact that she'd been caught staring.

Shizuru's smile grew wider and she let a miniscule chuckle escape her, "Would Kuga-san like to have one? A muffin?"

"Ah…y-yes please," the biker mumbled, the pink from her face fading as she took the offered treat. She gnashed her teeth into it and closed her eyes, savoring the sweet taste. The only sounds that followed after were contented murmurs of appreciation for the muffins and gentle sighs. Natsuki's grin widened across her face as she reached for another offered muffin. Viridian pools glowed smugly and happily as a smirk crossed her face, teeth biting into her bread treat.

_This could be the start of a beautiful friendship._

"Ara…by the way…red looks good on Kuga-san's face…"

_Or not._

* * *

**Wolf: **Damn that was longer than expected…O.o…but well I'm pretty pleased with this chapter! It was the most fun to write what with Shizuru and Natsuki's whole fight at first sight thing…and then more of Nao's general sarcastic humor. And then some tiny crack from Mai. And then another ShizNat scene in which they finally begin to warm up to each other. I might consider turning the genre to comedy but the drama doesn't come up 'til later. XD Hope you guys all enjoyed this chapter! 

:3 Ehh…um…review and I shall give you one of Mai's aforementioned muffins!


	5. Expectancy Hindered

**Wolf:** Ok all I can say about the long delay…long delay as in about three months even is that…school ended up taking so much of my time… More than I thought it would. I knew junior year was going to end up being one of my most time-taking years… I just didn't know the _extent _of it… And wow. That's a lot of time. ;-; I can't count the hours of sleep I've lost because of it. So really, you can't imagine how deeply sorry I am for delaying this so long considering how little time I've had to work on my fics and usually I work sparingly for each as I wanted them to be updated all around the same time…

Ah but it wasn't just school that delayed it. This chapter was difficult to write, I won't deny that. My muse seemed to like running away from me each time I sat down to try and write it… And there was a lot of times I liked to cut the scenes, taking out what I thought was useless and then placing something in…only to throw it out. A lot of annoying editing. It's definitely not my most perfect chapter, and definitely one of the ones I've been most annoyed with, but I still hope it's enjoyable. Hopefully more so for you to read than it was for me to write.

You're all probably getting annoyed at the length of this author's note, but I felt I had to give _some sort _of explanation to all of you for the delay of this update. I owe all my readers and reviewers at least that much. But I'll cut the "blah blah blah boring whatever" of this note and just end it here so you can all go along your merry way of reading the damn thing. :P Hopefully you enjoy it! Enjoy!

**Play For Me**

Chapter 5

Expectancy Hindered

* * *

Busy, the week had been very busy lately. Chores to be done, friends to check up on, namely Natsuki and Nao who just seemed to like to try and kill each other twice a week, and of course groceries to buy. There was also the restaurant. 

If there was anything Tokiha Mai cherished nearly as much as her loved ones, it was her restaurant. Her restaurant was her pride and joy. It had started out as a small little café that her father had owned. Growing up, the café had been her favorite place to spend her time, leisurely helping out her father. When he died though, Mai had taken custody of the café through his will and had turned her love of the place with the passion of her favorite thing to do, cooking.

Cooking had been a skill; a love and passion taught by her mother and passed down into her own hands. She remembered long days just bustling about the kitchen, feet adorned in slippers. She remembered various times when she'd cling to her mother's leg, the light of the dusk settling in from the window. Happy times, past times; those days had been such joys, but they'd come and gone.

It was difficult, to say the least. She'd had to grow up far faster than most children her age had when her parents died. It had been tiresome on her part and often she found herself weeping softly from the stress that her premature adult heart wilted in, but she'd done it and had not regretted her decision to take up the role of mother and father for her most cherished person.

Tokiha Takumi was Mai's first priority. Though she loved her friends and adored her restaurant, Mai simply just couldn't imagine life without her little brother. The sickly brown-haired boy was often in her mind, most thoughts riddled with anxiety as she worried about his health, welfare, and being. Takumi loathed it when she aggravated herself, but Mai couldn't stop worrying about him everyday. It just came with the price of loving.

People always acted and did crazy things for the ones they loved anyway, she noted quietly to herself. A honking sound broke her musing though and Mai found herself slowly gliding back to reality. Violet eyes blinked and a pale hand came to scratch the shell of her ear as the ginger-haired girl looked up and down the street. She'd been so lost in her inner musings that she almost forgot why she was standing on the sidewalk. She was walking to the grocery store.

The sight of the cars zooming down the streets brought a faint sense of motion sickness to her belly and she placed her hand on the pole beside her to calm herself. Leaning on her arm slightly, the redhead continued gazing at the road until the light finally changed. Quickly pacing down the streets with the small crowd moving by her on all sides, Mai's thoughts reverted back to earlier on the weekend.

It really had been a busy weekend besides the addition of her restaurant. Throughout the week the redhead had been doomed to listen to Natsuki's endless rants each night. Mai knew her friend was the epitome of passion when it came to music, at least in her opinion, but she honestly didn't think she could stand hearing another conversation with the words "music" and "pianist" anymore. Seriously, how could one be so excited about having a musical partner? Though Natsuki herself often questioned Mai how it could be any more exciting to cook for nagging customers at a restaurant. She came to the conclusion that it was all about perspective and one's passion.

But she definitely didn't want to sit at the couch and hear Natsuki gibber about piano keys and guitar notes all day.

This was why the redhead had opted to go buy groceries for her and her friend instead of listening to said friend's ranting. So here she was, crossing through the city to the nearest supermarket. Normally Mai loved to go grocery shopping because one of her favorite pastimes was looking at all the newest food produce and thinking up new recipes to try out for her restaurant. However, today was just not the best day to go grocery shopping. The reason? It was hot. It was too hot and her temper was becoming too short.

A sigh released from the busty female as she finally stepped into the supermarket. Her lips curled into a smile at the air-conditioning rapidly cooling her body and she shuffled in her pocket for her list. Lilac-toned eyes skimmed the list as Mai strolled through the aisles. The redhead mumbled softly to herself as she walked, "Hmm I need carrots, bread, lettuce, bacon, and mayonnaise for Natsuki, something sweet for Nao, ham…"

Her quiet mumbles soon became inaudible except to her own ears as she searched through the market. Grabbing a kart, Mai proceeded to grab the necessary items off her list. Hands swiped the aforementioned items off the shelves as she wandered through the spacious building. Her bright eyes were so focused on her list and her produce that the ginger-haired youth failed to see where she was going, or who she was heading straight into.

A gasp flowed from her full lips and Mai took several steps back when she bumped into something broad and firm. Reaching up to rub her head in an attempt to chase away the surprise from knocking into someone, her eyes fixed on who she had bumped into.

Mai's gaze trailed up a solid chest clothed in a dark blue button-up shirt and stared at a pair of charming grayish eyes. A smile curled thin lips on the man's handsomely defined face, framed by neat obsidian locks. The smile stretched across his features when Mai's face began to flame bright red.

Steam could almost be seen wheezing out of Mai's ears as she recognized who she bumped into. Coughing and rubbing one hand against her hair while straightening any wrinkles on her beige blouse, the redhead stuttered slightly, "Ahaha…ah! Hello Reito-kun I…didn't see you there…Sorry for bumping into you like that."

Reito beamed at her as he grabbed something from the shelves and placed it in his shopping basket, "It is no trouble Mai-san. After all it's always a pleasure to bump into beautiful women."

If Mai's face had been bright pink before it, it darkened into a bountiful shade of crimson now. Laughing in embarrassment once more, the redhead turned to the shelves again. Her eyebrows quirked when she saw a tub filled with thick creamy liquid right in front of her, causing her lips to twitch. _For some reason it feels like Natsuki is sending me an omen to not forget her mayo. Gosh that stuff is unhealthy. Really, Natsuki is just begging to have a heart attack at some point. _With a sigh, the redhead cautiously picked up the condiment and placed it in her cart. Feeling a curious stare, she looked up and met Reito's pale gaze. She grinned crookedly, "It's not for me it's for Natsuki."

"Ah Kuga-san? I never would have guessed…the woman seems to keep herself in such a fit condition," Reito mused as he and the woman padded away from the aisle.

Mai chuckled softly as she and Reito made their way to the cash registers, "Natsuki does keep herself in shape, but she has the most horrible addiction to mayonnaise."

Reito's face slowly distorted from charming to disgust in five seconds. His eyebrows meshed together and his lips tugged downwards at the thought of someone wolfing down a bottle of mayo. The image sent a churning pool of nausea in his stomach and he tugged on his collar uneasily, "I see…"

Really, he wondered for Kuga Natsuki's health.

The expression cleared from his face when he saw they were at the cash registers and he smiled at Mai again as they got in line. However that smile soon dropped as a thought occurred to him as Mai reached the clerk and shuffled in her purse as her items were checked. As the clerk finished, Reito reached out his hand and aimed a disarming smile toward her as he said, "Allow me to pay. Chivalry isn't dead yet."

Mai emitted a soft murmur of surprise mixed with a tinge of flattery, "No I couldn't let you do that Reito-kun. I don't want to impose on you."

"Please it is my complete pleasure to aid a beautiful woman," Reito said with a slight flourishing bow.

Mai's cheeks painted red again and she puffed them out a bit as she muttered, "But I don't want to take advantage of your hospitality! It's rude!"

"Not at all! Please Mai-san, allow me," Reito said as he shuffled in his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.

"But-" Mai tried to protest, cheeks slightly flushed as Reito fiddled with his wallet.

Besides them, the sound of items being checked and buttons pushed upon the cash register went on, before a low, drawling voice spoke up between them.

"That'll be 6010 Yen please."

"Of course," Reito said as he picked at the bills in his wallet.

Mai grabbed his arm before he could whip out the money and shook her head quickly, "No it's alright Reito-kun, I can pay!"

"No it's quite alright let me!" he said, trying to break her grip on his arm.

Unbeknownst to the two, the clerk watched with dully interested brown eyes. The two continued to squabble, both grabbing each others' arms so neither could reach for their money. The clerk's eye twitched, his nerves beginning to grate as he awaited the payment. With a sigh, he drawled once more, "6010 Yen please."

"Yes! I'll pay!" both of them said, turning to him sharply and trying to shove their money at him.

He recoiled, his look twisted oddly as he glanced at the bills before speaking, "I only need 6010 Yen please."

Mai and Reito pulled back, both trying to separate the other's hold on their arms as the clerk watched the dispute. Mai huffed in frustration, "Really Reito-kun, I can pay."

"As a gentleman, it should be me," the dark-haired male said, finally pulling away from Mai's hand and grabbing the money before shoving it into the clerk's hands.

The slightly tanned man jerked and fumbled with the money and before Mai could make another attempt to pay, he stuffed it into the cash register. Mai's ears heard the slight ping as the cash was put away and her shoulders dropped in defeat. She sighed and glanced at Reito, "I could've paid."

"I wanted to," Reito said, brushing back the few black tresses that had been mussed in their scrabble. The fiery-haired woman pouted softly and he chuckled before answering, "If you really want to make it up to me… How about dinner?" he asked, the charm seeping back into his voice.

A small sound of surprise emitted from the woman and embarrassment colored her cheeks red. She scratched her head and shyly turned away. _Eh… A date? _The flush on her cheeks darkened and a flattered grin stretched her lips, a coy look thrown to the man beside her.

Reito looked at her with both hope and amusement in his pale gray eyes, yet also with a tad of expectancy. His look brightened when he saw the blush on her face and his smile widened, eyes closing happily. Mai scratched the back of her head once more before replying shyly, "Sure… A date it is then."

"Wonderful!" Reito beamed. Before the man could say anymore though, the clerk's voice once again cut into their conversation.

"The lines are for paying customers please. All fraternizing must be done outside the market, please move along. Please," he said, tone still mirroring the bored drawl and his brown eyes blinking without feeling. Really, he'd been patient until now, but his line was growing and all these two were doing was loitering around and growing mushy with each other. Also, he really wasn't enjoying seeing a guy ask a girl out. He saw enough of that back at the university.

Mai's face flushed once more and she sputtered as she shot him a chagrined look. He only blinked at her as he handed her her plastic bags. She took them bashfully and mumbled a thank you as Reito looked back at the man once more. The dark-haired male looked as if he was just about to say something when he froze, eyes widening in recognition.

"Tate-san!"

Tate's gaze moved slowly, glancing over at Reito before speaking once more in the same dull drawl, "Do I know you?"

"Mah, I'm hurt Tate-san. You don't remember me?" Reito asked, face taking on a slightly wounded pretense.

Tate made a non-amused grunt before saying, "Look I'd really like to chitchat, but I've got customers waiting and you two are holding up the line."

He made a shooing motion with his hand and the two moved out of the line, Mai looking slightly offended as Reito chuckled again, waving goodbye as they exited the store, "I'll see you later Tate-san!"

The blond man didn't even bother to look over his shoulder and return Reito's wave, just went back to his work as the next customer appeared in line. Mai's eyes narrowed as she watched the slightly bowed neck of the man before turning to Reito as they walked out into the parking lot of the large store. Shifting her bags for a better grip, she glanced at him, "So who was that?"

"Tate-san? Ah he's an acquaintance of mine back at the university. I'm a little surprised that he doesn't seem to remember me. He did spend about a week of detention with me," the black-haired male said, chuckling to himself.

"A whole week? What for?" Mai asked, eyes widening as they walked back to Reito's car.

"Hmm. Well, he did happen to get into an incident with this one lady. He was always mumbling to himself about how irritating she was and how weird her style of dress was. Said something about yellow glasses."

Reito's laughter boomed in the parking lot as Mai tried to puzzle out where she'd seen yellow glasses before.

- - -

The ceiling, she decided after what felt to her like hours, was a very boring and plain place to stare at. The insistent ticking of the clock placed high on the pale blue living room wall seemed to echo so imposingly in the quiet of the apartment that it made her fingers tap jerkily against her knee. Her eyebrows, dipped in a crease upon her forehead, occasionally twitched in time with the loud ticking of the inanimate object. There was no other sound except for her steady breathing which was increasingly becoming louder with impatience. Well, there was almost no other sound in the apartment.

The faint noise of pages fluttering sounded, shifting as lithe fingers danced on the paper before flipping them over some minutes later. There was soft breathing next to her, serene unlike her own. Nao sat by her on the couch, her lighter green-hued eyes glued to the novel set into her hands. Unlike Natsuki she wasn't pulled in by boredom's beckons and was pleasantly enjoying her book. At some points, when she came to an interesting point in the book, she'd make a small noncommittal noise and push back the lenses dropping down her nose. She pretty much ignored the other woman sitting beside her, tuning out the sighs and groans of boredom.

Natsuki popped her head back on the top of the couch and signed once more, making a rather loud breathing sound through her nose. She closed her eyes and her senses honed in on the slight whisper of the wind leaking through her open living room window and the feel of her hair brushing her forehead. Her ears perked at the page flipping and she peeked open one eye.

Nao was sitting with her legs crossed, those tacky yellow glasses of hers on. Whether they actually helped her to read or were just there as a fashion statement, Natsuki didn't know. The redhead was perfectly fine in continuing on with her book, but when she finally began to notice Natsuki's intense staring, her gaze drifted from the pages to meet her companion's emerald eyes. She arched a thin brow and quipped, "What?"

Natsuki replied simply, voice deadly serious, "I'm bored."

"Oh? Do you want me to do something about that?" Nao replied, her lips tugging with the urge to smirk at Natsuki's statement. Holding herself back so she wouldn't anger her friend, because Natsuki could be easily set off when she was bored, her lips twitched almost like a slightly crazed smile.

"Yeah. Unbore me," Natsuki said, still as simply and seriously.

"Is that even a word? And how do you expect me to 'unbore' you?"

"I don't know! Just do something entertaining!"

"Want me to play fetch with you?" Nao asked as she leaned over and grabbed a blue ball that was conveniently right next to the couch. She turned back to Natsuki and held out the toy, both her lips and eyebrows raised.

Natsuki frowned, confusion on her face as she scrutinized the other girl. One hand reached up and scratched at her head as she said, "Don't you mean catch, not fetch?"

"No I mean fetch," Nao stated, eyes darkening with a deadpan expression.

It took a few minutes for the implication to sink in for Natsuki, and when it did her eyebrows shot nearly straight up to her hairline. Her mouth parted and slackened for a minimal amount of seconds, and then she snapped her jaw shut and growled. Viridian eyes blazed as Natsuki grabbed the nearest couch pillow and smacked Nao upside the head, "For the last time Nao I'm not a dog!"

"Ow! Yeah you're not, you're an abusive owner! I pity whatever dog gets you for a master!" Nao yelped as the cushion connected with her cheek. Really, this 'Let's hit Nao with a pillow' sport was getting old. Ducking another swipe at her head in result of her previous comment, the redhead skidded off the couch and gasped, "Ok ok knock it off Kuga!"

"Only when you learn to knock off the wisecracks!" Natsuki retorted as she dropped the pillow and crossed her arms, sulkily leaning back into the sofa.

"But ruffling your feathers is fun," Nao grinned as she strode back to the furniture, but wisely not sitting down and opting to remain a few feet away. She set her book down on the coffee table placed in front of the couch and dropped herself on the armchair across it. One arm came up to sit on the armrest whilst the other retrieved her book and flipped it open. She went back to reading for a few more minutes before the exasperating sighs began to grate her nerves. One eyebrow quirked, she turned back to Natsuki and sighed, giving the other girl her full attention, "Alright really, what is it? You can't seriously be that bored."

"But I am!" Natsuki protested, huffing and waving her arms before crossing them against her chest again.

"Then find something to do," Nao grumbled.

"Like?"

"Like… I don't know… Practice your oh so beloved guitar?"

"I already did… For four hours!"

"And hear I was under the impression that you'd never get tired of that thing. I stand corrected. The world must be ending," Nao mumbled dryly as she cast Natsuki an irritated glance before speaking again, "If you're so bored, then why not give that partner of yours a call? If you two are going to be in a partnership, then don't you need to spend some amount of time with her?"

At this, silence answered her. Natsuki's lips pulled downward and her arms tightened around her chest. She seemed to become sullen all of a sudden, legs crossing as her feet bounced stiffly against the carpet of the floor. She watched and waited as the dark-haired musician glared at the floor before heaving a sigh and turning to the redhead, "I don't have her number."

"Are you serious?" Nao blanched, scratching her head. She didn't know whether it was the fact that Natsuki didn't have the woman's number that surprised her or the fact that something simple as the lack of a phone number stopped Natsuki from taking action.

"That's not like you."

"What?" Curious green eyes turned to the snarky woman, brow arched.

"That's not like you. You wouldn't let a measly phone number stop you from barging into someone's house to talk to them," Nao said nonchalantly as she flipped through her book. She could feel Natsuki's temper spike, the offended tension from the other girl crackling in the air. Nao had to chuckle, Natsuki tended to take words the wrong way; especially her words.

"I don't barge into people's houses!" the biker protested, uncrossing her arms and standing up from the couch.

"Alright you can keep on denying it," Nao said.

"Argh! Why doesn't anyone believe me on this?! I didn't mean to walk right into her house!" Natsuki snarled.

"It wasn't just her house you barged into, but mine as well. Remember that one time?" Nao asked, eyebrow rising as she shot Natsuki a meaningful look.

Natsuki blinked at the redhead and her face scrunched up slightly as if she was trying to recall something. Then it flushed bright red and she spluttered, "T-That was different!"

"True. There was no water gun involved the other time. No angry Mai either," Nao mumbled.

Natsuki grumbled in irritation, "Besides that was one time! I haven't done it anymore since then!"

"And since Fujino," Nao smirked.

The biker growled and turned away, "You're no help at all! And here I was thinking about asking you that maybe you'd like to… But nah you probably wouldn't want to."

Nao glanced over at Natsuki, hearing the tone change from annoyance to something like challenging, the way one speaks when they're trying to bribe someone with something good, but won't necessarily give it to them. Her curiosity began to itch at her and the redhead leaned forward, both eyebrows arched as she asked, "What? Ask me what? C'mon Kuga tell me!"

"Why should I? I mean you're obviously so upset with me and my 'felonies' that you wouldn't want to cooperate," Natsuki said, smirking sneakily as she faced away from her friend.

Nao's face twisted in discontent and her lips pulled downward into a pout. She reached over and tugged the other girl's shoulder, whining, "Kuga! C'mon you're gonna eventually tell me anyway so just tell me!"

Natsuki glanced over her shoulder and scowled at her, "Alright alright."

Nao grinned, sitting back with a victorious smile as the biker turned and leant back casually. Natsuki rubbed her nape for a moment, a thoughtful look passing over her face before she finally stated, "Well… Y'know how I said I wanted a pianist?"

"Who doesn't know? You whined about it whenever you could-Ow!"

Nao paused, rubbing her head where a pillow had promptly come into contact with her forehead as Natsuki growled, "Don't interrupt."

"Anyways," she continued, "I've been thinking about this for years…and I was wondering… What do you think about the idea of being in a band…with me?" she said at last, taking a breather and looking at Nao.

The first thing that crossed Nao's mind was why would Natsuki ask her to be in a band with her? The second was that it felt a little odd being asked such a thing by her usually solo-loving friend. Then finally the third was not so much a thought as it was a feeling. A familiar feeling began to bubble underneath her heart and her lips twitched, quirking upwards as her eyebrows rose further. She had a strange urge to snicker at the biker's nervous expression, but the feeling was overriden by the smirk tugging her lips.

When Natsuki saw the smug expression lighting on the redhead's face, her hopeful look quickly changed into irritation. She grimaced, sitting back and angrily pouting as Nao sniggered.

"You don't have to laugh," Natsuki grumbled, tapping her foot against the floor and crossing her arms as the redhead gave into her mirth beside her.

Nao chortled and glanced at her friend, then moved over and patted the biker's shoulder as she attempted to calm her snickers, "Oh c'mon don't be like that! I'm not laughing at you. I'm just a little surprised that the Oh-So-Amazing Kuga would ask me to play with her."

Natsuki made a small abashed noise before she eyed Nao and mumbled in begrudging respect, "You're a good drummer…"

"You always said I sucked," Nao pointed out, smirk widening at the frustrated look scrunching up Natsuki's face.

"You… You don't suck, you're just loud," the dark-haired one said.

"Yeah right. Listen Kuga, you're a critic. A big one when it comes to music. Why should I join this band of yours when it'll probably make for openings for you and your criticism? You'll only probably be ten times more annoying than you usually are," Nao said, leaning back against the couch and mirroring the arm-crossed position the guitarist sported. She watched as that dark brow twitched and watched as that jaw tightened.

"C'mon! I'm not that bad! It's not my fault that I think you just need a little more improvement…"

"A little?! You're always whining about how my playing is completely off-key," the drummer squawked, voice between disbelief and laughter.

"No I'm not!" Natsuki growled.

"Ahuh. Your expectations are always so high Kuga. You need to learn to lighten up," Nao said, patting her friend's shoulder once more.

If anything, what she meant to loosen her friend up only served to make Natsuki more irritated as her growls grew louder. She shrugged off Nao's hand and frowned deeply, "C'mon why won't you join? I'm not going to be _that _bad… Please…?"

"Nah. You'd just be cranking up my freestyle," Nao replied, voice changing to one of boredom as she got up off the couch and padded to where her book had been tossed aside.

There was a moment of silence before Natsuki spoke again, voice soft this time.

"I'll pay you…"

Her body froze, back half-bent as her arms were stretched out to snatch her book.

Another moment of silence before…

"Well… So any ideas for a band name? I mean we have _so _much to discuss!"

When Natsuki answered back it was with smugness in her tone.

"We sure do."

- - -

A low sound emitted from the single ivory key as her slim finger touched it, pressing down gently. The hum vibrated in her ears, filling her heart with a sense of acquiescence. A warm feeling flowed through her body at the sound and to strengthen it, she pressed down on the key once more. At the sweetness of it, she shakily lifted her other fingers and pressed. The sigh that rolled her body was relaxed, quiet.

Each finger delicately pressed down on the keys, not wishing or willing to rush any of the soft sounds that hummed from the instrument. Her smile curled her lips slowly as her eyelids fluttered and moved partway to cover her eyes. Her hands swept along the piano slowly, fingers tapping gently as the music began to echo all around her. The warmth spread from her chest, blossoming with each key pressed.

Once, twice, three times her hands swept back and forth. Perfection, this was what it was. Playing was complete perfection. Nothing could disturb her sanctuary as she continued playing, hands passing gently each time, fingers gracing the keys. Another sigh flowed from her lips and her smile widened, eyelids moving to completely cover her scarlet eyes. Such sweet perfection.

Her finger pressed down, slowly. A low sound, a soft sound. She continued smile.

Another finger came.

Her smile still intact, she pressed.

The imagined tune, the hum of her beloved instrument.

Nothing could stain perfection.

Shizuru sighed happily.

Perfection stained.

The instant her fingers pressed once more, they trembled. A groan and a shriek came from the piano. Her body stiffened, back straightening and her ears protested against the shriek that filled them. She shot up from the piano seat, but didn't move away from her precious thing. Her dark eyes stared at the piano, arms trembling as her muscles pulled themselves tautly together. Her jaw clenched, teeth grinding against each other.

With a growl of frustration, her hand fisted and rose. It shook in midair as her form swayed above her piano. Her face, distorted by the shadows plaguing it gazed angrily. She stared at her instrument, eyes raking it up and down, as if daring it to mock her, mock the skill that she'd placed upon it only to have it spit back at her. The fist, curled and waiting, trembled once more.

"Stupid… Stupid…"

She swiveled her body around, turning her back on the black piano.

She crossed her living room angrily, moving past the couch to her kitchen. Once in the small white room, she padded to the counter and grasped her tea kettle. The brunette's hand moved toward a mug, picking up the first one it found. Then Shizuru sighed once more as she poured herself a cup of tea. Her hands shook while she did so.

Shizuru frowned, glaring at the shaking white fingers. She placed her kettle down and lifted her cup, lips parting to allow the lukewarm liquid in. Her throat moved up and down, swallowing, body gradually unwinding. Muscles loosened, tension left her shoulders as she drank. Shizuru lowered her mug, exhaling quietly. Her hooded eyes focused and she turned to peek back into her living room. Her piano stood against the wall, an ominous reminder.

She leaned against the counter, giving a single, solemn heave. One hand moved and wiped across her face, catching tendrils of her pale oak hair. Her eyes stared at the tiled floor, hand fisting itself into her hair as she thought. _Again… Again… Why can't I… Why can't I just…_

Her shoulders slumped, answer not given as she placed her cup down on the counter. Her eyes strayed back to the piano, thoughtful as her hand curled through her hair, crumpling at the top of her head. The glimmer of the ebony piano shone in the sunlight pouring through the window not far from it. Ominously, it seemed to speak to her for a moment, beckoning her forth once more to attempt at perfection. She resisted its call, mood downtrodden.

The Kyoto-born walked to her couch and slumped on it. One arm laid itself upon the armrest as her other draped across her lap. Her head gently rested on the head of the couch, eyes fluttering as she let herself fall into a lull. Even in a near doze, the sound of music continued to poke at the fog surrounding her mind, desperately trying to break through. She listened to the faint tune of it, red eyes concealed. Her breathing softened as her consciousness bordered the edge of slumber and wake.

_Won't you play? You're very good._

A deep voice, bountiful of charm and wit just beneath the surface.

Her temper sparked, pride caught between taking up the challenge in the tone and resisting giving in. She growled, snapped out of her doze and straightened on the couch. Her head rested on her palms, shoulders lowered as that male voice mocked her in her memories, picking at her.

_What do you mean you can't? Scared to take a challenge Fujino?_

"Stupid…" she hissed under her breath, biting her lip, "Stupid man…"

She rose from the couch, stomping to the piano in firm resignation. She'd play just to spite him. Seating herself at the seat once more, Shizuru pushed back the sleeves of her tan blouse and flexed her fingers. They hovered, just above the keys once more. Her breath stilled in her throat. For a moment she forgot how to exhale and inhale, staring at the keys. Her pale brow creased, lips pursing.

_Play for me won't you?_

She gritted her teeth and brought her hands down, grazing the keys only slightly. _Just play._ Moisture rimmed at the edges of her eyes, heart catching speed in her ribcage. Playing wasn't hard. She was good, she was more than good, she knew this.

_So why…_

Her hands left the piano, shoulders slumping again in defeat. Shizuru looked away and stared in both shame and despondency at her failure. White fingers curled in her lap. _What is wrong with me? Why can't I play today?_

Indeed, it was not just today that her skill failed her. Music was just at the tip of her fingertips, but would not come when she called to it, when she willed for it. Frustration made her snatch the music sheet that sat idly on her piano. Her fingers crumpled it briefly in their grasp before they scratched at it, tearing it to shreds. Pieces of paper fluttered in the air and fell silently on the carpet floor at her feet, victim to her rage.

"Stupid… Stupid…"

She retreated to her kitchen again, seeking comfort in her tea. Shizuru glared in accusation over the rim of her cup at her piano across the room, eyes dark and smoldering. She drank greedily, like one needing to assure themselves of their worth, their talent. What was she without talent?

_Nothing… I am nothing if I cannot do this… They've always…_

She hissed and slammed her cup on the counter before tackling the piano again. Her face was set in grim lines of determination as her fingers slammed against the ivory, "If I cannot get this right…"

She trailed off, beginning to play without a tune in mind, hands moving of their own accord. Anger kept her fingers dancing quickly, sharply tapping each key as a tune blared in her ears. In the midst of her bitterness and sour persistence, she was a master.

Shizuru smirked smugly as the music radiated with perfect accordance, listening to the low, angry song. It was ironic how only in her anger could she touch perfection. Music was her source of peace, yet when she was relaxed she could not even stroke its graceful wing. Only in anger could she touch its magnificence.

_Only in anger can I find peace… Reito would have a field day if he knew this._

She laughed coarsely, without humor as she played. The minutes ticked by with her music, yet the tune went on unchanged. Still angry, still bitter. Afternoon daylight worked its way through the windowpane at her right. Her weariness finally caught with her and her hands slowed, eventually ceasing upon the keys. She blinked against the light and stared out the window, watching the dusk come ever faster. Sunset tinged the sky a shade of dark gold with hints of pale yellow that lingered from early noon.

With a soft murmur, she left her precious thing and walked to the couch. Shizuru sat down, legs curling atop it rather than crossing together as they usually did. Exhaustion pulled at her limbs, collecting mostly in her sore fingers. She rubbed them against each other, mouth quirking downward. She'd played for hours on end, with the skill one like her possessed.

And yet no satisfaction came of it.

"What is wrong with me?" she whispered into the still air of her empty apartment.

Her questions, as usual, went unanswered.

* * *

**Wolf:** It's…done…at last. Granted it is a little shorter than my last chapter… But still… Ugh I'm so tired and sleepy… 

But it's_ done_!

Oh and I just remembered… I cannot, for the _life of me_, convert dollars into other countries' currency. I'm that bad at converting money. I had a horrible time converting dollars into euros in my French class.

Mai's amount of money that she used in the first scene for her shopping I estimated in my head around fifty dollars. If 6010 Yen is not anywhere near that converted, please please _please _call me on it. I don't want to look foolish even though I researched it. Or tried to. I still ended up confused.

And now I'm very shaky and tired so I should be getting to bed. I forewent my sleep for this! Even though I'd probably have had to suffer insomnia again…

Ahh! As for Tate being introduced as a clerk in this chapter… Well I always thought he'd make a nice clerk. I just like the idea of him in a clerk outfit…? Not to mock him or anything, just thought he'd be nice as one. A dutiful, if though bored at times one. He reminds me a little of my brother in that…

Ok, ok I'll stop ranting!

Oh wait… If anyone was confused again to Shizuru's behavior in the last scene… Good you're supposed to be confused. Eventually I will explain. Just not now, when I'm shaking from loss of sleep and how cold it is early morning here.

Review please? I will try and respond this time! -gives puppy eyes with clasped hands- Please and thank you!


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